T-50A succeeds in test flight

T-50A trainer jet / Courtesy of KAI

By Yi Whan-woo

South Korea’s indigenous T-50A trainer jet has completed its first test flight successfully, its developer Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) said Friday.

The successful test bodes well for the firm’s bid to sell the T-50A ― an upgraded version of the T-50 Golden Eagle ― to the United States, which is seeking to upgrade its trainer fleet.

KAI said the jet took off from Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, where the T50-As are being manufactured.

A KAI pilot accompanied by another pilot from Lockheed Martin flew the jet for about 50 minutes while officials from the two companies plus the Ministry of Defense, the Air Force and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration were on hand watching.

A KAI official said the T-50A is the only jet that succeeded in test flights among probable candidates for the U.S. project to upgrade its trainer fleet.

The U.S. Air Force is expected to issue notice of its bid by the end of this year and sign a contract in 2017.

“The successful flight is expected to boost our marketing for the T-50A abroad,” a KAI official said on condition of anonymity. “We believe a possible choice of the T-50A by the U.S. Air Force will contribute to the security alliance between South Korea and the U.S. while helping us take a lead in the jet trainer and light combat air craft industries.”

KAI said it will promote the T-50A with Lockheed Martin in the U.S. beginning in the second half of this year.

It is an upgraded version of the T-50, a supersonic, light combat jet which was developed in 2006. A single, large-area display (LAD) as well as an assimilated-training program were mounted on the plane.

The T-50A’s competitors include the M-346 from Italy and the Hawk-128 from the United Kingdom.