Nation
 
    
  
+Login    +Register    +Find Id / Pw 음성듣기 설치 및 이용방법    Home  l  Archives  l  Learning Times  |  Sitemap  |  Subscription  l  Media Kit  l  PDF
   Home > Newszone > Nation > Defense Affairs >
  Nation
    Photo News  
    Political Digest  
    Nation Digest  
    Provincial News  
    Defense Affairs  
    Airline News  
    Foreign Affairs / N.Korea  
    Seoul Air Show  
    Obituary  
    Dokdo Special  
    Ahn Jung-geun  
    Dokdo Essay Contest  
  Biz/Finance
  Technology
  Arts & Living
  Sports
  Opinion
  Community
  Special
     
  The Learning Times
     Editorial Listening
     Phone English
     Dear Abby
     Domestic News
     Foreign News
     Screen English
     Live English in Drama
     Discovery Education  
     Ancient Idiom  
     iBT Writing  
     English Writing I
     English Writing II  
     English Grammar
     Grasping Vocab
     iBT Vocab
     Korean Language  
     
     Junior Writing
     Junior Reading
     Junior Reporter
     
 
   05-12-2009 18:17 여성 남성
S. Korea Seeks to Build Semi-Stealth Fighter


F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

The South Korean Air Force is looking to deploying indigenous KF-X ``semi-stealth'' strike fighters after 2018 to replace its existing KF-16 fleet, a military source said Tuesday.

The Air Force Studies and Analyses Wing, in charge of force improvement plans, held a close-door meeting in March and made an interim decision on operational requirements for the KF-X fighter, the source told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity.

Basic requirements call for a F-18E/F Super Hornet-class aircraft equipped with 4.5-generation semi-stealth functions, a domestically-built active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a 32,000-pound of engine thrust and fully integrated weapons and sensors systems, he said.

The KF-X aircraft would be either a single-engine fighter or a twin-engine one, he added.

It is the first time that KF-X operational requirements have been revealed. Previously, it was estimated that the KF-X aircraft would be an F-16-class aircraft stealthier than either Dassault's Rafale or the Eurofighter Typhoon but not as stealthy as Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Striker Fighter (JSF).

``A consensus has been reached on the KF-X requirements among the Air Force, the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff,'' the source said. ``The plan will be submitted to the presidential office soon for approval as part of the military's 2010-14 force improvement package.''

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) commissioned a six-month feasibility study on the KF-X program in April to a private research institute, he said.

A DAPA public affairs officer said a final decision on the KF-X program would be decided by November or December after a feasibility study.

In a bid to improve the country's fighter development technologies, the Air Force wants to build an indigenous AESA radar for the KF-X aircraft, based on accrued technologies from Israel, the source noted. He was apparently referring to the service's decision earlier this year on equipping the FA-50 light attack aircraft with Israel's EL/M-2032 mechanically scanned array radar.

The Air Force is also considering installing the 100-kilometer-range Israeli radar on KF-16 fighters as part of aircraft modification efforts, according to sources.

Initiated in 2001, the KF-X program aimed to develop the so-called fifth-generation stealth fighter by 2020, in partnership with a foreign aircraft manufacturer, deploy about 120 units and sell more globally, separate from the multi-phase F-X fighter acquisition project for 120 high-end strike fighters.

The program appeared to have received a boost under the previous Roh Moo-hyun administration, which puts a high emphasis on developing ``self-reliant'' defense capabilities.
But the fate of the KF-X has been controversial in recent years due to technological and financial constraints.

In late 2007, the Korea Development Institute, a state-funded think tank, concluded the KF-X would be nonviable economically. It said the program would cost at least $10 billion but could be expected to reap only $3 billion in economic benefits.

Some defense analysts have also raised questions on technological aspects of the KF-X.

Major foreign bidders for the KF-X include Boeing of the U.S., the European consortium of EADS and Sweden's Saab, the source said.

``Technology transfer will be a key element in selecting a foreign KF-X partner,'' he said.

Among the bidders, Boeing is the most active in offering technology transfer options, he noted, adding the U.S. aircraft giant is proposing to offer the basic platform of the F/A-18 Super Hornet and other 4.5-generation fighter technologies.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr

Reader's Comments ▶ Other View
Notice From KT Website Manager
Bad language will not be tolerated. All comments considered discriminatory against race or sex, or which are considered offensive against certain people, will be eliminated by the manager. Violators will be deprived of their membership.
Please stay on topic.
haebyungdae   (123.140.255.100)   05-13-2009 19:29
Regardless, if they make it. It will be a good aircraft and will make them even more technologically superior to the North and comperable to other nations with a robust military. Theres no need for the US to manage the Korean military because they have the resources, technology, and capability to do it themselves. There was a time when the US needed to, but that has ended since we entered the new millennium.
haebyungdae   (123.140.255.100)   05-13-2009 19:23
For those who talk crap about Korean made weapon systems and compare it to the US, youre an idiot. America only sells older technology to other countries thus keeping advanced technology safe from being replicated and keeping its capabilities secret.
haebyungdae   (123.140.255.100)   05-13-2009 19:20
Korea being self reliant is good, and they should be making their weapon systems using their own technology and manpower. However, the bigger goal off this project would be the sale of these fighters to other countries, this was mentioned in the article and there is nothing wrong with this.
TheBigHyungNim   (24.166.27.96)   05-13-2009 16:00
LOL! You're my good friend S810 for describing USAF. Here's my acronym. United in Sucking A$$ and Fingering. LOL! ;)
TheBigHyungNim   (24.166.27.96)   05-13-2009 15:58
yellowdung, you wish all the parts of this Korean stealth fighter project were all made in China. I'd rather have S Korea have alliance with China, than with that snobby american country. It's time for Korea to be reliant on our own people. Not reliant on corrupt american military and corrupt US zionist gov.
▶ Managerial regulations
▶ Back ▲ Top