South Korea Kicks Off Improved Support Ship Construction with Target Completion by 2028

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held a kickoff meeting for the second Soyang-class Logistics Support Ship (AOE-II) project on September 25, 2024, at Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd. in Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do.

The event, attended by officials from the Navy, shipyards, and DAPA, marked the beginning of full-scale construction of the new logistics support ship. Discussions during the meeting focused on improved design features and fostering collaboration among the involved organizations.

DAPA awarded the contract for the second logistics support ship to Hanwha Ocean in August 2024, following approval of the shipbuilding plan at the 148th Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee in December 2022. The project is proceeding ahead of schedule, with the construction of the ship beginning more than a year earlier than originally planned, aiming for completion by 2028.

The role of a logistics support ship is to supply essential military resources such as fuel, ammunition, and food to operational vessels, enabling them to remain at sea without needing to return to port. Currently, the country operates four logistics support ships: three Cheonji-class (AOE-I) ships, each capable of carrying 4,600 tons of supplies, and one Soyang-class (AOE-II) ship with an 11,000-ton capacity. The new logistics support ship will be an additional Soyang-class vessel, designed to replace the aging Cheonji, which has been in operation for over 30 years.

The Soyang-class replenishment vessel is 190 meters in length with a maximum speed of 24 knots and a crew of 140 personnel. It has a range of 5,500 nautical miles and provides operational support for mobile task forces in distant waters. The vessel features repair, medical support, and vertical replenishment capabilities. The AOE-II variant has a loading capacity of 11,050 tons, which is approximately 2.3 times greater than the AOE-I. It also allows for direct container loading onto the hull, significantly enhancing supply loading speed. For protection, it is equipped with a 20mm Phalanx CIWS and Rheinmetall MASS. The vessel has a flight deck and helicopter hangar, supporting vertical replenishment and personnel transport via helicopters like the UH-60P or KUH.

The lead AOE-II ship was designed and constructed by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and entered service in 2018. The second vessel will retain similar capabilities but will incorporate improvements based on operational feedback since 2018. Compared to the older Cheonji-class, the new ship can achieve a maximum speed about four knots faster and can carry over twice the amount of supplies. The Soyang-class has a beam of 25 meters, a draft of 8 meters, and uses a CODLAD (Combined Diesel-Electric and Diesel) propulsion system, enabling efficient cruising at 15 knots. Its supply capacity includes 10,000 tons of oil and 1,000 tons of general supplies.

While maintaining the same basic specifications as the existing Soyang-class ships, the new vessel will include improvements for operability and crew comfort. DAPA and Hanwha Ocean plan to incorporate feedback from the operation of the lead Soyang-class ship, commissioned in 2018, and integrate wireless communication and network technologies to produce and install an integrated engine control system domestically for the first time.

Once the second logistics support ship is completed, the country’s logistics support fleet will consist of two 4,600-ton ships and two 11,000-ton ships, increasing supply capacity by more than 25%. This enhancement will strengthen support capabilities for maritime operations involving frigates, destroyers, and future KDDX vessels, as well as improve the Navy's capabilities in deep-sea missions, joint exercises with foreign navies, and extended cruise training.