The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Homeless women struggle to find place to spend night

  • 3

    More than dozen chaebol scions indicted on alleged drug use

  • 5

    People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions

  • 7

    Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film

  • 9

    Life prisoner sentenced to death for beating inmate to death

  • 11

    Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E'

  • 13

    Korea's childbirths hit record low in Nov.

  • 15

    Korea's GDP shrinks 0.4% in Q4, 1st contraction in 10 quarters

  • 17

    Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait'

  • 19

    Renaissance aesthetics meets surreal fantasy in Park Min-joon's oil paintings

  • 2

    Koreans stunned by spike in heating costs

  • 4

    Heavy snow hits Seoul, surrounding areas

  • 6

    Netflix series 'The Glory' draws focus to real school bullying

  • 8

    Inflation weighs on households

  • 10

    'I was a stock investment addict': psychiatrist seeks to help addicted people through his book

  • 12

    INTERVIEWPartnerships with Korean companies help Delta Air Lines' post-pandemic recovery

  • 14

    PHOTOSAnother day of heavy snowfall in Korea

  • 16

    Gov't to double subsidies for vulnerable households as energy bills soar

  • 18

    S. Korea to increase joint air defense exercises following N. Korean drone incursions

  • 20

    Gov't seeks to limit where child sex offenders can reside

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, January 28, 2023 | 09:29
Defense
Korea exports 24 attack jets to Iraq
국산 경공격기 FA-50 24대 이라크 수출…21억弗 규모
Posted : 2013-12-12 17:59
Updated : 2013-12-12 17:59
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
FA-50 light attack aircraft
FA-50 light attack aircraft

By Kang Seung-woo and Joint Press Corps


BAGHDAD ― Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a $1.1 billion (1.1 trillion won) contract to sell 24 FA-50 light attack aircraft to Iraq, Thursday, the most lucrative defense export deal by local players.

In Baghdad, KAI CEO Ha Sung-yong and Iraqi Prime Minster Nouri al-Maliki signed the deal.

The Korean defense contractor is set to deliver the jets between October 2015 and October 2016.

In addition, the two sides are on the verge of reaching another agreement including pilot training and logistical support with an estimated value of $1 billion.

"The contract is the biggest achievement in the nation's aerospace exports," Ha said.

"Through the deal, we discovered the aircraft's competitiveness in the international market and potential as an export."

With the deal, KAI has put the first Middle East country on its customer list.

It has sold 16 T-50 supersonic trainers to Indonesia, 40 KT-1 basic trainers to Turkey and 20 KT-1s to Peru.

KAI believes the Iraq contract will contribute to the Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province-based company establishing itself as a competitive presence in the market for lower priced fighters.

"Other than Africa, KAI has built its export footholds in each continent," a KAI official said.

"There is growing interest in the T-50 family, as the current aircraft in use get older and there are few options to replace them."

In the competition, the KAI product beat BAE Systems' Hawk-128, Russian Yakovlev's Yak-130 and Czech aircraft producer Aero Vodochody's L-159, according to the Korean firm.

With Iraq being scheduled to import 36 F-16s from next year, the Korean light attack plane was seen as the best option to bridge the air power vacuum, while nurturing pilots.

The FA-50 was developed in Korea as a possible replacement for the Air Force's F-5E/F when the aging fighters are retired.

KAI is set to try to continue the winning vibe in its sales pitch for other countries including the Philippines, Botswana and eventually, the United States.

In the U.S. Air Force's trainer competition, aimed at replacing its fleet of T-38s, the U.S. side plans to purchase 350 new aircraft worth billions of dollars.

"When it comes to exports to the Philippines, we were closing in on a deal, but the recent earthquake and typhoon have pushed it back to next year," KAI said.

"We plan to launch a full-scale campaign in the U.S. as well."

The FA-50, which was first unveiled in January 2006, is a light combat version of the T-50 supersonic trainer that was co-developed with Lockheed Martin.


The plane can carry a weapons load of up to 4.5 tons and can be armed with a wide range of weapon systems including AIM-9 sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles, AGM-65 air-to-ground tactical missiles and GBU-38/B Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), which allows the aircraft to counter multiple threats.

Its maximum speed is Mach 1.5.




국산 경공격기 FA-50 24대 이라크 수출…21억弗 규모

'사상 최대규모 한국 항공기 수출…세계 경쟁력 확인'

우리나라가 이라크에 국산 경공격기인 FA-50(이라크 수출 모델명 T-50IQ) 24대를 수출한다.

수출 규모는 기체와 조종사 훈련, 후속 군수지원 등을 모두 포함해 21억 달러(한화 2조2천121억원) 이상으로, 우리나라 항공수출 사상 최대 규모로 기록되게 됐다.

한국항공우주산업(KAI)의 하성용 사장과 이라크의 누리 알말리키 총리는 12일 오전 10시(현지시각) 이라크 바그다드에 있는 총리실에서 FA-50 24대를 이라크에 수출하기로 합의했다.

이 자리에는 이용걸 방위사업청장과 김현명 주이라크 대사, 김형철 공군참모차장 등이 참석했다. 이 합의와 동시에 양측 고위 관계자들이 서울에서 계약서에 서명했다.

양측은 이날 FA-50 24대와 조종사 훈련 등 11억 달러의 수출에 합의했으며, 25년간 후속 군수지원을 위한 10억 달러 규모의 추가 계약을 조만간 하기로 했다.

KAI의 하성용 사장은 이라크 총리와 합의 직후 기자들과 만나 '이번 이라크에 대한 총수출 규모는 20억 달러 이상'이라며 '국내 항공수출 사상 최대의 쾌거'라고 말했다.

하 사장은 '이번 수출은 국산 항공기의 세계시장 경쟁력과 우리나라 항공산업의 수출 산업화 가능성을 확인한 계기라고 생각한다'면서 '이라크가 우리 항공기를 운용하는 데 불편함이 없도록 최대의 노력을 다할 것'이라고 밝혔다.

국산 항공기 수출국은 인도네시아(T-50 16대·KT-1 17대), 터키(KT-1 40대), 페루(KT-1 20대)에 이어 네 번째다. T-50 고등훈련기를 기반으로 개발한 FA-50을 기체와 조종사 훈련, 후속 군수지원까지 패키지로 수출한 것은 이번이 처음이다.

KAI 측은 '동남아와 유럽, 남미 지역에 고등·기본훈련기 수출에 이어 중동지역에 경공격기를 처음 수출함에 따라 세계 로우(Low)급 전투기 시장 진출의 물꼬를 텄다'면서 '아프리카를 제외한 대륙별 항공기 수출 거점을 확보했다'고 평가했다.

FA-50은 영국 BAE사의 Hawk-128, 러시아 야코블레프사의 Yak-130, 체코 아에로사의 L-159 등과 경합하다가 우수성과 안정성, 운용 경제성, 조종사 훈련지원 등을 높게 평가받아 최종 낙점됐다.

KAI는 지난 2009년 2월 잘랄 탈라바니 이라크 대통령 방한 때 T-50 계열의 항공기를 적극 소개하고 2011년 4월 알말리키 총리의 KAI 본사 방문을 계기로 본격적인 협상에 돌입한 것으로 알려졌다.

KAI의 한 관계자는 '선진 경쟁사들이 저가 공세와 정치·외교력을 동원해 계약 직전까지 난관이 많았다'면서 '공군과 주이라크 대사관 등 민·관·군의 협력 마케팅 활동을 펼친 끝에 역사적인 수출을 성공시켰다'고 설명했다.

오는 2015년 10월까지 첫 생산분을 납품하고 2016년 10월까지 나머지를 이라크에 모두 인도할 예정이다.

이라크는 미국에서 F-16 전투기 36대를 도입할 계획이며, F-16 도입 완료 때까지 전력 공백을 메우고 전투기 조종사 양성 목적으로 FA-50을 구매한 것으로 전해졌다.

FA-50은 현재 우리 군이 운용 중인 낡은 전투기 F-5E/F의 도태에 대비해 T-50을 기반으로 개발된 경공격기다.

최대 마하 1.5의 속도로 비행하며 F-4, F-5보다 우수한 최첨단 전자장비를 탑재하고 있다. 지상부대와 실시간 전장 정보를 공유할 수 있는 고속 전술데이터 링크를 갖추고 있어 합동작전을 수행할 수 있다.

적 레이더의 경보수신기(RWR), 적 미사일 회피용 채프발사기(CMDS) 등을 탑재해 뛰어난 생존력을 갖추고 있고 야간 공격임무 수행을 위한 야간투시장치(NVIS)도 내장되어 있다.

공대공·공대지 미사일과 일반 폭탄, 기관포 등 기본 무기와 합동정밀직격탄(JDAM), 지능형 확산탄(SFW)과 같은 정밀유도무기 등 최대 4.5t의 무장탑재가 가능하다.

지난 2002년 8월 처음 비행에 나섰으며 길이 13.14m, 폭 9.45m, 높이 4.82m, 엔진(GE-F404) 출력 8천29㎏, 최대이륙중량 1만3천500㎏, 최대상승고도 1만6천760m 등이다.

한편 KAI는 필리핀, 페루, 보츠와나 등에 T-50계열의 항공기 수출을 추진 중이며 내년에는 최대 시장인 미국의 훈련기(T-X) 구매사업의 수주 활동에 본격적으로 뛰어들 계획이다.
Emailksw@ktimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions
2Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula
3Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities
4More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality
5SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia
6Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term
7KT&G aims to become global top-tier company KT&G aims to become global top-tier company
8Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event
9LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings
10Middle East 'sales diplomacy' picks up speed Middle East 'sales diplomacy' picks up speed
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film
2Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E' Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E'
3Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait' Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait'
4Renaissance aesthetics meets surreal fantasy in Park Min-joon's oil paintings Renaissance aesthetics meets surreal fantasy in Park Min-joon's oil paintings
5BLACKPINK sets 6 more Guinness records BLACKPINK sets 6 more Guinness records
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

wooribank
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group