RoKN commissions second and final Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship

The Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) has commissioned its second and final Dokdo-class landing platform helicopter (LPH) amphibious assault ship.

Named RoKS Marado (with pennant number 6112), the 14,500-tonne vessel entered service in a ceremony held on 28 June at the Jinhae Naval Base, its future homeport in South Gyeongsang Province.

South Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) began work on the 199.4 m-long, 31 m-wide LPH in 2016 at its facilities in Busan after being awarded a contract in December 2014. The ship was launched in May 2018 and began sea trials a year later.

The RoKN said in a statement that Marado , which will have a crew of 330, has a top speed of 23 kt, a standard range of 10,000 n miles at 18 kt, and a hull draught of 6.6 m. The flight deck is marked with five numbered landing spots on the port side, with two more spots behind the island unit.

Compared with first-of-class Dokdo , which entered service in July 2007, Marado features an improved design, which is the result of experiences made by the service while operating Dokdo.

For instance, Marado , which will operate UH-60P and MUH-1 Marineon helicopters, features a reinforced flight deck to enable joint RoKN operations with US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, among other things. It is also expected to embark an indigenous attack helicopter for the RoK Marine Corps, development of which is expected to be completed by 2031.