(LEAD) Navy launches new landing ship

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SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea launched a new landing ship on Tuesday that will enhance the Navy's amphibious warfare capabilities.

The "Ilchoolbong" landing ship tank (LST) is the third of four planned vessels to be built and delivered by Hyundai Heavy Industries, a Navy spokesman said.

"The LST will join the fleet in February 2018 after undergoing sea trials in the coming month," he said.

The Ilchoolbong has a displacement of 4,900 tons, is capable of reaching a maximum of 23 knots and is armed with various defensive weapons. It will also be fitted with an integrated warfare system that will allow it to work effectively with other ships.

The new vessel, named after a famous sunrise location in the eastern part of the southern resort island of Jeju, has a crew of 120 and is capable of carrying about 300 fully armed troops. The 127-meter-long ship can carry smaller ship-to-shore landing craft, tanks, Korea amphibious assault vehicles and two helicopters, the statement said.

It is also equipped with a domestically developed combat system and can act as a command post for landing operations.

The Navy said compared with the older Gojunbong-class LSTs, the new ship can carry out over-the-horizon amphibious operations thanks to its improved mobility. This will make the ship less vulnerable to attacks from shore.

During peacetime, the new ship will carry out transport operations but shift to landing missions in support of troops in the event of a conflict, it said.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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