The Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) has commissioned ROKS Marado amphibious assault ship. ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) is the second ship of the Dokdo-class landing platform helicopter (LPH) amphibious assault ship of the Republic of Korea Navy, launched on 14 May 2018 at the shipyard of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Constructions Co. in Busan. Construction started in November 2016 with the first steel being cut. The keel was laid down in April the following year and the launch occurring another year later. The Marado was commissioned on the 28th of June 2021 and is based at the Jinhae Naval Base.
Marado will have a crew of 330, has a top speed of 23 kt and a standard range of 10,000 n miles at 18 kt. She is propelled by a 4 SEMT Pielstick 16 PC2.5 STC diesel engines (41,600 shp). The flight deck is marked with five numbered landing spots on the port side, with two more spots behind the island unit. She is 199 m (652 ft 11 in) wide at the waterline, with a maximum beam of 31 m (101 ft 8 in), and a draught of 7 m (23 ft 0 in). Compared withthe lead ship ROKS Dokdo, Marado features an improved design, which is the result of experiences made by the service while operating Dokdo.
The flight deck is adapted to accommodate two V-22 Ospreys, while Dokdo was able to only carry one. In place of the Thales SMART-L multibeam radar and MW08 surveillance radar, Marado uses the Elta Systems EL/M-2248 MF-STAR multifunction surveillance radar and LIG Nex1 SPS-550K 3-D air and surface surveillance radar. It also has a different weapons suite than the 30 mm Goalkeeper and RAM, instead using two 20 mm Phalanx CIWS and having a K-VLS at the rear of the superstructure for the locally developed K-SAAM.
The Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship is a class of landing platform helicopter (LPH) amphibious assault ships operated by the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). Designed by Hanjin Heavy Industries (HHIC), the requirements for the amphibious landing ships were to enhance South Korea’s current amphibious operation capability, both in terms of assault and military operations other than war (MOOTW) type operations. Dokdo is similar in size to the light aircraft carriers derived from the Sea Control Ship such as the Spanish Navy’s former aircraft carrier PrÃncipe de Asturias and the Royal Thai Navy’s Chakri Naruebet.
