KoreaToday Will T-50 Golden Eagle Fly Globally in 2009?
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
When South Korea succeeded in developing its own supersonic trainer jet, the T-50 Golden Eagle, in partnership with U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin in 2001, hopes were high that the aircraft would become a high-flying product in the global trainer market, given the jet's outstanding performance and technological advances.
It's too early to judge, industry sources say, whether the hopes are achievable, but they agree the results have been worse than expected since full-fledged joint marketing efforts by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed began in 2006, even though the potential for overseas sales of the T-50 remains large.
The T-50 is competing for trainer deals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore and Poland, while Greece and the United States have shown interest in the $21 million aircraft.
The Golden Eagle is vying with Italy's Aermacchi M-346 for a $1 billion trainer acquisition program by the UAE. The T-50 was also included last year on Singapore's short list of preferred bidders, along with the M-346.
Poland hopes to acquire 16 lead-in fighter trainers for delivery from the third quarter of 2010 to replace its PZL TS-11 Iskra trainers, so it is considering buying either the T-50 or Finland's surplus Hawk 128 trainers, built by BAE Systems.
Seoul is pushing to sell T-50s to Poland. A group of South Korean delegates led by Vice Defense Minister Kim Jong-cheon are on a weeklong visit to the East European country from Jan. 18 to promote the plane.
Springboard for Defense Exports
Seoul's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and KAI, the prime contractor for the T-50, expect the first oversea sale of the trainer to be made this year, which they say will help put South Korea's arms industry on the global map over the next few years.
``It is of not doubt that the sale of T-50 is central to boosting the country's defense exports,'' Jeon Young-bok, head of DAPA's bureau on arms export policy, told The Korea Times. ``We expect the first sale of the T-50 to be sealed this year, as several deals are in the works.''
Last year, South Korea sold about $1.03 billion in weapons and defense items, up 22 percent from the previous year's $840 million and the highest amount ever.
DAPA set the goal of exporting $1.2 billion worth of defense products this year. Officials anticipate that the nation will reach the $3-billion mark in about four years if the T-50 and FA-50 light attack variants are sold.
Jeon dismissed the notion that T-50 sales have been stalled, saying it normally takes about 10 years to sell new aircraft to other nations.
KAI and Lockheed had formally established the T-50 international company on November 10, 2000, a year before the first T-50 was rolled out, to conduct international marketing activities.
Lockheed is the principal subcontractor for the T-50, assisting with development and international marketing. The development of the aircraft was jointly funded ― 13 percent from Lockheed, 17 percent from KAI, and 70 percent from the Korean government.
``I believe the T-50 will eventually dominate the global trainer market. Customers can't help choosing a quality product in the end,'' said the official, referring to criticism of the T-50 that the jet is ``too good'' to use as a trainer.
Jeon added T-50's biggest market would be the United States.
The T-50 is the ideal solution for the training needs of air forces around the world, a KAI official said, asking not to be named. ``We expect T-50 variants to secure about 30 percent of the global trainer market, or 1,100 of 3,300 trainer needs, within 25 years.''
KAI and Lockheed hope for at least 600 to 800 exports if the T-50 succeeds in replacing the T-38 with the U.S. Air Force in the long term.
What's Up With T-50?
The Golden Eagle trainer is regarded as the world's only high performance, supersonic trainer in production today.
The single-engine trainer features a variety of technological advances, including digital flight controls and a modern, ground-based training system.
It is designed to have the maneuverability, endurance and systems to prepare future pilots to fly next-generation fighters such as the Eurofighter, F-22, Rafale and F-35.
The trainer has enhanced synthetic training features including simulated radar, radar warning from simulated threats and simulated chaff/flare.
The jet can fly at a maximum speed of Mach 1.4 and has an operational range of 1,851 kilometers. Its service ceiling is 48,000 feet.
The aircraft has been operational with the South Korean Air Force since 2005, when mass production started.
The Air Force will operate 50 T-50s by 2013. The service also ordered 22 FA-50 light attack jets and wants 10 T-50s for aerobatic displays.
From Trainers to Killers
Work to reconfigure the T-50 as the FA-50 light attack aircraft has started. Some $300 million is being spent to convert four T-50s to FA-50s.
DAPA signed the development deal with KAI last December.
Once mass production starts by 2013, FA-50 fighters will replace A-37 attack jets and F-4/F-5 fighters in the low-tier backup to the Air Force's high-end KF-16s and F-15Ks and fifth-generation aircraft to be procured in the future, DAPA officials said.
The Air Force wants to introduce more than 100 FA-50s to replace its older fighters.
According to DAPA and KAI officials, the FA-50 will be equipped with the EL/M-2032 radar from Israel's Elta Systems, which is credited with a look-up tracking range of 65 to 100 kilometers.
The aircraft will also have advanced tactical data link systems, precision missile guidance equipment and enhanced avionics, they said.
It will be outfitted with the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) kit, incorporating an internal navigation system and flip-out control fins to guide bombs. The WCMD guidance corrects launch errors and determines atmospheric conditions and computes optimum flight paths and cluster bomb release points.
Armament will also include AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) bombs.