No Light Aircraft Carrier in S.Korea's 2023 Defense Budget

South Korea’s defense ministry has left out the project to construct a light aircraft carrier for its Navy in 2023’s budget, to make way for 9.4% increase to establish a three-axis defense system to counter North’s missiles.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet approved the overall defense budget for 2023. It set a 4.6% year-on-year increase to around $42.3 billion.

Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) officials told South Korean media that the exclusion does not indicate the termination of the project.

“We are preparing to commence a basic design of a light aircraft carrier. But the outcome of the ongoing assessment of the domestic development of carrier-based aircraft would affect the decision on whether to begin a bidding process,” one DAPA official told reporters.

The bidding process was originally set to start later in the year under former President Moon Jae-in’s government so as to choose a defense contractor for a basic design of a light aircraft carrier. But a military source who is familiar with the issue told The Korea Herald that the defense project is likely to be scrapped in light of the Yoon Suk-yeol government’s critical view of the project.

The DAPA’s recent decision to buy additional 20 F-35A jets has been widely seen as a prelude to aborting Republic of Korea Navy’s (ROKN) plan to acquire F-35Bs, featuring short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) systems, for deployment on the planned light aircraft carrier.

Approximately $28.7 billion is allocated to expenses on force operations and maintenance, up 5.8% compared to last year’s budget.

Around $12.2 billion budget has been set aside for the "force improvement" program, a rise by 2% compared to the previous year.

Three-Axis Defense System

The "three-axis" defense system is being developed to cope with North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats. The system consists of the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform; the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR); and the Korea Air and Missile Defense system (KAMD).

DAPA has listed projects to acquire five surveillance satellites and tactical ground-to-ground guided weapons under the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform.

Procurement of a ballistic missile early warning radar system, the long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) interception system and the low altitude missile defense (LAMD) system are in the pipeline for the Korea Air and Missile Defense system (KAMD).

Related news: Surveillance Drones, PATRIOT Missiles in S.Korea’s 2023 Defense Budget

The ministry has earmarked $3.7 billion to develop weapons, including reconnaissance UAVs for mid-to-high altitude operations, long-range artillery interceptors and 230mm multiple rocket launchers, in order to further develop the three-axis system.

The budget for the three-axis system would increase by 9.4% compared to this year to implement the Yoon Suk-yeol government’s defense policy, a senior official at DAPA, was quoted as saying by The Korea Herald.

Seoul’s MoD has also set aside around $4.7 billion to manufacture more K2 tanks, securing ammunition reserves and building Ulsan-class Batch III frigates.