5 Ways the U.S. Navy Could Destroy North Korea in a War

By Kyle Mizokami

This naturally gives both Koreas a maritime outlook, but also makes them both vulnerable to military action from the sea. Most major cities and towns are located on the country’s west and east coasts, and no point in the entire country is more than 130 miles from the sea. In the event of war with North Korea, the United States Navy will be particularly useful in—ideally—bringing war to a swift conclusion. Here are five U.S. Navy weapons that would be indispensable in such a conflict.

1 – Avenger-class Minesweepers

North Korea, having faced a quick reversal of fortune after the amphibious invasion at Inchon, is well aware of the threat of a seaborne attack. Sea mines are a cheap and effective means of keeping hostile navies away from friendly shorelines—in 1988, the frigate USS Samuel B. Robertshit an Iranian mine in the Persian Gulf [3], while in the 1991 Gulf War the cruiser USS Princeton and amphibious assault ship USS Tripoliwere also damaged by sea mines [4].

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American and South Korean forces can expect to face North Korean mines guarding ports, harbors, and important waterways. The powerful U.S. Seventh Fleet not only includes an aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ships but four minesweepers of the Avenger class [6]: USS Patriot, USS Pioneer, USS Warrior and USS Chief. Those ships, along with their South Korean—and perhaps even Japanese—counterparts will need to sweep littoral waters before amphibious ships laden with Marines can approach North Korea’s shoreline. For want of a minesweeper, multibillion-dollar ships vital to an allied attack or counterattack could be stranded at sea, unable to contribute to the war effort.

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2 – Wasp-class Amphibious Assault Ships