T-50 crash in Indonesia unnerves KAI
T-50 trainer jet
By Jun Ji-hye
The crash of a T-50 supersonic trainer in Indonesia that killed two pilots, Sunday, is expected to deal a blow to Korea Aerospace Industries’ (KAI) bid to win a 10 trillion won deal in the U.S., aimed at replacing the U.S. Air Force’s outdated fleet of T-38 training aircraft in 2017.
The KAI T-50 Golden Eagle was co-developed in 2006 with Lockheed Martin, using the U.S. firm’s core technologies, including the avionics system and engine.
Defense observers say if problems with the aircraft are determined to be the cause of the crash, it will deal a serious blow to the plans of Korea’s sole aircraft manufacturer to join the T-X program, through which the U.S. plans to purchase 350 new aircraft.
The U.S. government is expected to give public notice of the bid in the second half of next year.
On Sunday, the aircraft taking part in an aerobatic show spun out of control and crashed into an air force base complex near Adi Sutjipto Airport in Yogyakarta, a tourist destination on the main island of Java, according to the AP.
It was the first crash by a T-50 or any of its variants exported overseas.
A KAI official said Monday that an investigation team composed of officials from Indonesia’s defense ministry and local technical experts retrieved the black box from the crashed plane and are currently investigating the exact cause of the accident.
“We are keeping an eye on the investigation there,” the official said. “If the Indonesia side asks us to cooperate in the investigation, we are willing to actively to do so to find the exact cause of the accident.”
The official said the company is also willing to dispatch its engineers there, if necessary.
The cause of the accident is still unknown. There is the possibility that pilot error could have been a cause as the accident occurred during an aerobatic show. But if it turns out that a fault in the aircraft led to the crash, it may have a deleterious effect on the company’s T-X bid as well as future exports, observers said.
Korea signed a $400 million deal with Indonesia in 2011 to export 16 T-50s. KAI has also sold the FA-50, a light attack variant of the T-50, to Iraq, the Philippines and Thailand.
On Dec. 17, the company unveiled the first T-X jet trainer, an improved version of the T-50 Golden Eagle designed to meet the U.S. Air Force’s requirements, at its headquarters in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province.
President Park Geun-hye attended the rollout ceremony and supported the company’s large-scale export bid.
In the U.S. competition, KAI, teaming up with Lockheed, is expected to square off against a BAE Systems-Northrop Grumman consortium and one combining Boeing and Saab Group.
The company is also 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.
For its part, the South Korean Air Force undertook an inspection of its own T-50s, Monday, in the wake of the Indonesia crash.
“We carried out safety education for all T-50 pilots in the morning,” an Air Force official said. “They resumed flying in the afternoon, but the aircraft inspections will continue.”
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye