Dokdo - class amphibious assault ship The " Dokdo " - class is a class of Landing Platform Helicopter ( LPH ) amphibious assault ship s operated by the Republic of Korea Navy . Designed by Hanjin Heavy Industries , the requirements for the amphibious landing ships were to enhance Korea ' s current amphibious operation capability , both in terms of assault and military operations other than war ( MOOTW ) type operations . Development . The ROKN needed a versatile landing ship with amphibious capabilities in its program to build a blue - water navy . In the end Hanjin ' s Dokdo design was chosen for this need . LSF - II 631 - also built by Hanjin - was chosen as the LCAC to operate from the ship . Specifications . The LPX is a versatile amphibious warfare ship , and includes a well deck to accommodate Amphibious Assault Vehicle s ( AAVs ) and two Landing Craft Air Cushion ( LCAC ) , the first of which ( LSF 631 ) was acquired in April 2007 . The ship is 199 metres long , 31 metres wide , with a 14 , 000 ton ( empty ) , or 18 , 000 ton ( full ) displacement and was also built incorporating stealth technologies . Its been said to be one of the most advanced vessels in the Asian Pacific . As a high - speed amphibious ship , LPX was based on the concept of " over - the - horizon assault . " As the name indicates , the " over - the - horizon assault " comprises a military operation in which an amphibious landing operation is conducted with high - speed air - cushioned vehicles and helicopters from beyond the horizon , where they can ' t be easily detected or attacked by the enemy . The conventional LST ( landing ship tank ) has to approach the coastline for landing , at the risk of being fired upon by the enemy . The LPX can carry 720 marines ( + 300 crew members ) , 10 tanks , 10 trucks , 7 AAVs , three field artillery pieces , and two LCAC hovercraft capable of landing on enemy shores doing — a mix that enables it to launch troop landings from both sea and air . She can also carry 10 helicopters when there are no ground vehicles on her hangar deck . The flight surface is also sprayed with urethane , which can support VTOL jets , like Harriers . South Korea is considering the purchase of F - 35B fighters to operate from its Dokdo class ships . Nowadays , the LPX operates mainly UH - 1 H and UH - 60 P . But both of these are designed for land ‐ based operations and lacked of consideration for ship - borne operations such as protection against damage from salty breezes , so it is difficult to operate on - board continuously . The KUH - Amphibious , the sea - based amphibious variant of the KAI Surion , is now under development , production is planned to commence in late 2015 , with some 40 helicopters planned . Self - defense armament includes the RIM - 116 Rolling Airframe Missile system . The Goalkeeper Close - in weapon system ( CIWS ) was purchased in January 2003 from Thales , at per - set price of 13 , 000 , 000 , 000 won ( roughly $ 15 , 000 , 000 ) . " Dokdo " is similar in size to the light aircraft carrier s derived from Sea Control Ship , such as Spanish Navy ' s former aircraft carrier SPS " Príncipe de Asturias " and the Royal Thai Navy ' s HTMS " Chakri Naruebet " . Ships of the class . The Dokdo Class of LPH are named after islands deemed important or symbolic to the ROK Navy . Three ships were planned at first , but the third ship was cancelled during the period of Lee Myung - bak government . ROKS Dokdo ( LPH - 6111 ) is named after the Liancourt Rocks , which are called " Dokdo " in Korean but " Takeshima " in Japanese . Although the South Korean Coast Guard took control of the isles in 1954 , Japan still disputes the sovereignty of the rocks . The second unit , the ROKS " Marado " , is named after Marado Island , commonly thought of as being both the ending and beginning point of Korea . Today a monument stands there recognizing it as the southernmost point of the country . This ship was cancelled once , but the budget was restored in 2012 . A ski ramp for operations of V / STOL jet fighters is being considered for Marado . The third unit was to be named after Baengnyeong Island , which is located in the Yellow Sea near the disputed Northern Limit Line ( NLL ) with North Korea . Baekryeong Island is the territory administered by South Korea that is closest to the NLL . It was an important military base and the site of fierce combat during the Korean War . Plans . Some proposed uses for the ship include UN peacekeeping operations and disaster relief . For this reason , the LP - X is expected to usher in a new era of expanded Korean naval activity , since it can be used for relief , transport , and other peacetime activities . First Steps to a Blue Water Navy . In a speech delivered in March 2001 , Kim Dae Jung stated that his administration was aiming to build a navy that " will defend the national interests in the five oceans and perform a role in defending world peace . " By the year 2020 , the ROK Navy plans to deploy two or three rapid response fleets , each comprising 1 LPX , 2 KDX - III , 4 KDX - II , 1 KDX - I and possibly a number of FFX frigates and two or three SSX submarines . ROK Navy ' s Rapid Response Fleet :