Name Cheon Wang Bong class Built 2014 - In commission 2014 - present | Operators Republic of Korea Navy In service 2014 - present | |
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Builders Hanjin Heavy Industries, Hyundai Heavy Industries | ||
The Cheon Wang Bong-class LST (Hangul:천왕봉) is an amphibious landing ship class of the Republic of Korea Navy.
Development
In the late 1980s the Republic of Korea Navy decided to gradually replace its aging fleet of World War II-era LST-542-class LSTs (renamed Un Bong-class LST) purchased from the US Navy in 1958. A three phase plan was laid out to develop new landing ships to meet the demands of modern amphibious and transport operations.
The first phase was designated as the LST-I project, and development and design started in 1987 by Korea Tacoma, currently Hanjin Heavy Industries. After 4 years of development, the lead ship Go Jun Bong (LST 681) was launched in 1991. Three more ships followed and all four ships were commissioned by 1998.
The second phase, or LST-II, was originally planned to import four Newport-class tank landing ships, but after being postponed due to budget issues, it was changed in favor for domestic built 4500-ton LPDs to be commissioned by 2013-2016. After the construction of the first vessel, a follow-on contract for four additional vessels were awarded to Hyundai Heavy Industries in December 2013.