Korea Unveils Asia’s Biggest Amphibious Landing Vessel

A separate area for female soldiers, a community kitchen which can accommodate 154 soldiers at once, medical facilities equivalent to a hospital complex including a dental hospital and an operating room, a barbershop, elevators and a canteen: all these facilities can be found in the 14,000-ton Dokdo LPH, Asia's largest amphibious landing and transport vessel, on an area the size of two soccer fields. The Dokdo LPH, which was unveiled recently, has facilities not far behind those of a large U.S. aircraft carrier. Intended to accommodate 340 crew, 700 Navy personnel, seven helicopters, six tanks and 10 trucks, it can serve as both a leading ship guiding Aegis Ships and other fleets and in rescue operations in large-scale disasters such as a tsunami since it is capable of carrying 1,100 refugees. With about 700 rooms, the ship is 199 m long and as tall as a 17-story building. It has seven elevators including a freight elevator capable of loading up to a 19-ton aircraft or freight and a small elevator for crew. It is equipped with a tractor to move helicopters or aircrafts, facilities for landing and a forklift to carry ammunition and freight. As for medical facilities, there are 13 areas including an emergency operating room, a radiation therapy room, a dental hospital, a pharmacy and isolation ward. About 10 military surgeons and medical officers will work on the Dokdo LPH. There are also detoxification facilities in case of chemical, biological and radiation attacks, a military jail and a chapel of rest. [Source: http://english.chosun.com]