The Republic of Korea Navy (RoK Navy) recently outlined an ambitious vision for the future of its fleet during a seminar at the National Assembly. Central to this plan is the development of a manned–unmanned teaming (MUM-T) carrier force and the broader integration of unmanned systems across its surface fleet.
As part of its long-term roadmap, the RoK Navy intends to upgrade its two amphibious assault ships, Dokdo and Marado, enabling them to launch and recover unmanned aerial systems (UASs) while serving as hubs for MUM-T operations. Looking further ahead, the service envisions fielding a purpose-built, 30,000-ton drone carrier by the late 2030s – a dramatic step forward in reshaping naval aviation.
This initiative parallels similar efforts underway in the United States and other advanced navies. Yet South Korea’s approach stands out: rather than simply adding drones to existing platforms, the RoK Navy is reimagining its entire fleet structure around unmanned capabilities. That aspect is crucial to note at a time China’s blue water naval capabilities are growing, the U.S. Navy struggles to add ships of any class and mission to its own surface fleet, and South Korea’s looming demographic challenges pose an obstacle to crewing large naval vessels.
The RoK Navy’s vision builds on its conceptual doctrine “Navy Sea GHOST,” introduced under the Ministry of Defense’s National Defense Revolution 4.0 in 2022. Under this framework, the service is pursuing a Multipurpose Manned and Unmanned Force Command Ship Program. This replaces an earlier light aircraft carrier proposal centered on F-35B fighters with a more cost-effective “mothership” model—hosting multiple drone variants alongside manned aircraft like attack helicopters. The redesign not only slashes projected costs from KRW 7 trillion ($4.9 billion) but also creates a more versatile and resilient operational concept.
By prioritizing disposable, rapidly replaceable unmanned assets over increasingly vulnerable large platforms, South Korea is adapting to the demands of contested maritime environments such as the East China Sea – where anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) systems make traditional fleet operations prohibitively costly.
While the U.S. Navy has already introduced ship-based drones like the ScanEagle, RQ-21 Blackjack, MQ-25 Stingray, and Fire Scout, South Korea is going further. Its plans call for a fleet designed around dedicated drone carriers and command ships – a more visionary approach that could set the standard for navies facing complex security environments and manpower constraints.
In short, the RoK Navy is not just adding drones to ships – it is designing ships for drones. That distinction could prove decisive in shaping the future of naval warfare – particularly for navies confronting difficult security environments and recruiting/ manpower challenges.
Dan Darling is Forecast International’s director of military and defense markets. In this role, Dan oversees a team of analysts tasked with covering everything from budgeting to weapons systems to defense electronics and military aerospace. Additionally, for over 17 years Dan has, at various times, authored the International Military Markets reports for Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.
Dan's work has been cited in Defense News, Real Clear Defense, Asian Military Review, Al Jazeera, and Financial Express, among others, and he has also contributed commentary to The Diplomat, The National Interest and World Politics Review. He has been quoted in Arabian Business, the Financial Times, Flight International, The New York Times, Bloomberg and National Defense Magazine.
In addition, Dan has made guest appearances on the online radio show Midrats and on The Media Line, as well as The Red Line Podcast, plus media appearances on France 24 and World Is One News (WION).
