President Park Geun-hye said Thursday that South Korea's possible exports of jet trainers to the U.S. could strengthen the bilateral alliance and help Seoul sell them to other countries.
South Korea has improved the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer to attempt exporting new jet trainers to the U.S. The T-50 was co-developed by Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) and U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin.
Park said possible exports of T-X trainers to the U.S. will make a big contribution to South Korea's aviation industry and its economy
"The exports could become a catalyst in further strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance," Park said in a ceremony rolling out the first T-X jet trainer at the headquarters of KAI, the country's sole aircraft maker, in the southern city of Sacheon.
She also said the possible exports to the U.S. could also pave the way for South Korea to sell the jet trainers to other countries.
The FA-50 fighters, a light attack variant of the T-50, are currently in service with the South Korean Air Force.
Last month, KAI made the first delivery of the two FA-50PHs, multi-mission jets, to the Philippines as part of a US$420 million government-to-government deal inked between Seoul and Manila, which calls for the export of 12 aircraft.
KAI has so far received 133 plane orders from Indonesia, Turkey, Peru, Iraq and Thailand for both the T-50 series jets and the KT-1 tandem, prop-driven basic trainers. These orders are worth some $3.3 billion.
The company said it is negotiating with Peru and Botswana to sell them T-50 jets, as well as seeking new customers in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America for the KT-1. (Yonhap)