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The naming ceremony of the U.S. National Security Multi-Mission Vessel "Maine" was held at Hanwha Philadelphia Shipyard on August 26 local time. (Photo source: U.S. media)

Special correspondent Chen Yang, reporter Liu Yang

According to Yonhap News Agency on the 27th, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who is visiting the United States, visited the shipyard of Hanwha Group in Philadelphia, USA on the 26th and attended the naming ceremony of the U.S. National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) "Maine." What kind of ship is the "Maine" built by the South Korean shipbuilding industry? Can South Korea really "make American shipbuilding great again"? What assistance will South Korea bring to the U.S. defense field? Chinese military experts believe that although the shipyards in South Korea and Japan can help maintain and repair U.S. naval vessels operating in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States will not easily entrust the manufacturing of large-scale, high-sensitivity combat ships to foreign enterprises. Therefore, the role of South Korean shipyards in solving the dilemma of U.S. military ship construction is limited.

Building five national security multi-mission ships for the United States

According to Yonhap News Agency on the 27th, during the naming ceremony, President Lee stated that the South Korean shipbuilding industry will contribute to strengthening U.S. maritime security and revitalizing the U.S. shipbuilding industry. He believes that the "MASGA" (an acronym for "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again") cooperation project between South Korea and the United States will bring win-win results for the development of both countries' shipbuilding industries.

The U.S. Maritime Administration website introduced that the named national security multi-mission vessel belongs to the U.S. Ready Reserve Fleet (NDRF), mainly used to replace the aging training ships of the Maine Maritime Academy. The ship is equipped with numerous training facilities, including classrooms, laboratories, and an auditorium, theoretically capable of training 600 trainees at sea. In addition to being a training platform, this ship can also play an important role in disaster relief, such as after a hurricane hits coastal cities, the ship's advanced hospital facilities and helicopter landing pads can provide humanitarian relief to affected residents, and can accommodate up to 1,000 people. In addition, the ship has a roll-on/roll-off ramp and container storage compartments, which can provide aid to damaged ports.

It is reported that by the end of 2024, Hanwha Ocean (40%) and Hanwha Systems (60%) jointly invested $100 million to acquire the Philadelphia Shipyard, becoming the first South Korean company to acquire a local U.S. shipyard. Based on this, Hanwha plans to build a bridgehead for the revival of the U.S. shipbuilding industry. Afterward, Hanwha received an order from the U.S. Maritime Administration to build five national security multi-mission ships, each costing $300 million.

On the 27th, Chinese military expert Shi Hong told the Global Times that the five national security multi-mission ships built by South Korean shipbuilding companies for the United States, although their name includes "national security," are strictly speaking not warships of the defense department or maritime law enforcement agencies, but rather ships used for personnel training by the U.S. Maritime Administration and state maritime academies. However, according to South Korea's statement, many of the personnel trained on these national security multi-mission ships will become crew members of transport ships under the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC). Therefore, they may bring some support to the enhancement of U.S. defense capabilities.

The U.S. Navy places high hopes on South Korean shipbuilding industry

Reuters reported on the 26th that "to please Trump, South Korea bets on reviving the struggling U.S. shipbuilding industry." The report mentioned that from being the world's top shipbuilder during World War II to having a global commercial ship market share of 0.04% in 2024, the U.S. shipbuilding industry has been continuously declining in recent years. South Korea, currently the second-largest shipbuilding power in the world, following China, proposed a shipbuilding cooperation project called "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" during the July 2024 U.S.-South Korea trade negotiations, as part of the context of Sino-U.S. competition.

South Korea's proposal indeed impressed Trump, because the decline of the U.S. shipbuilding industry has seriously affected the normal operations of the U.S. Navy. During his meeting with Lee, Trump stated that the long-term decline of the U.S. shipbuilding industry would be revived through cooperation with South Korea, thus revitalizing the domestic shipbuilding industry in the United States.

It is reported that due to factors such as a shortage of skilled workers, aging infrastructure, and unstable supply chains, the U.S. Navy's shipbuilding and maintenance capabilities have been greatly reduced. In July, the acting Chief of Naval Operations James Kirkpatrick admitted that due to the decline of the shipbuilding industry, "in almost every category of ship, our construction plans are behind schedule." According to a report obtained by the U.S. Naval Institute on July 10, the service time of the "Kennedy" super carrier has been postponed again, and the construction time of the first next-generation attack nuclear submarine SSN(X) has been delayed from the mid-2030s to the early 2040s; the service time of the first submarine of the new "Columbia"-class strategic nuclear submarine has also been delayed by at least one year. The "America"-class amphibious assault ships, "San Antonio"-class amphibious dock landing ships, "Arleigh Burke"-class destroyers, and other main battle ships are also facing construction delays, with the service time of the "Constellation"-class frigates being delayed by three years compared to the original plan.

At the same time, the maintenance and repair of the U.S. Navy's existing ships have also faced long-term "queueing" situations. For example, when the "Harry S. Truman" aircraft carrier accidentally collided with a cargo ship in the Suez Canal in February this year, the U.S. Navy found that all the dry docks that could accommodate the aircraft carrier were "occupied." If the "Harry S. Truman" wanted to undergo a comprehensive inspection, it would have to wait for two years. Even worse was the "Boise" Los Angeles-class attack nuclear submarine, which had been waiting for routine maintenance in the port since 2015. Because its priority was not high, the submarine had to wait in the port for nine years before it could start repairs.

A article on the Hanwha Company's official website about its defense business stated that Hanwha has become the first South Korean company authorized to provide maintenance services for U.S. Navy ships. The projects it undertakes include the recent completion of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of the U.S. Navy "Wally Schirra" and the ongoing maintenance work on the U.S. Navy "Yukon." The article states that the fifth and final national security multi-mission ship built by Hanwha's Philadelphia Shipyard recently held a keel-laying ceremony, further solidifying its position in the U.S. shipbuilding and training infrastructure sectors.

Multiple obstacles exist

Reuters said that experts, industry insiders, and South Korean officials say that South Korea still needs to do a lot to promote "making American shipbuilding great again." First of all, there are legal obstacles. According to the Jones Act passed in 1920, goods transported between U.S. ports must be carried by ships built, owned, and operated by Americans. The Burns-Jones Act prohibits the construction of U.S. Navy ships in shipyards outside the United States. Although the U.S. president has the authority to exempt certain provisions for national security reasons, some U.S. legislators have proposed amendments to allow U.S. allies to participate in shipbuilding. However, so far, the legal issues have not been resolved. Therefore, Hanwha Group's acquisition of the Philadelphia Shipyard is widely seen as an attempt to circumvent legal barriers and eventually build ships for the U.S. Navy. Hanwha Group has announced a $5 billion infrastructure upgrade plan for the shipyard. Hanwha's goal is to increase the annual output of the Philadelphia Shipyard from less than two to 20 ships.

Shi Hong said that due to considerations of technical confidentiality, the United States will not easily entrust the manufacturing of large-scale, high-sensitivity combat ships to foreign enterprises. After all, the core components of combat ships such as the Aegis system, active phased array radar, and shipborne weapons still rely on U.S. defense suppliers. Even if allied shipyards can manufacture the hulls or parts of U.S. warships, it is only a drop in the bucket for alleviating the structural difficulties of the U.S. Navy's shipbuilding capacity. "The U.S. shipbuilding industry is suffering from a severe illness, and it cannot be solved by simply applying a band-aid."

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7543460417385824768/

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