By Jun Ji-hye
The government will sign a tentative deal with Indonesia this month for the Southeast Asian country to join Korea’s KF-X project to develop fighter jets by 2025.
“Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is in negotiations with the Indonesian government and a defense firm with the goal of signing a tentative deal within October.” the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Tuesday in a press release.
In October last year, Jakarta agreed with Seoul to participate in the project, paying 20 percent of the costs and later buying 50 aircraft.
However, there have been allegations that Indonesia is re-considering the deal following reports that Korea failed to receive four core technologies related to F-35 stealth fighters from U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin.
Some Indonesian media reported that Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has decided to delay his country’s participation in the jet project.
However, DAPA said it checked with defense officials and the Korean Embassy in Indonesia, to verify whether the minister made such a comment, and confirmed that he had not.
Once the tentative deal with Jakarta is signed, a formal contract will be signed after approval from the Defense Acquisition Program Executive Committee, DAPA officials said.
“DAPA and the Indonesia’s Defense Ministry are closely cooperating in pushing ahead with the KF-X project as scheduled and successfully completing the development,” the DAPA said.
The 8.5 trillion won KF-X project calls for developing fighter jets by 2025 to replace an aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s. KAI, the nation’s sole aircraft maker, was selected as the preferred bidder for the project over Korean Air in March.
DAPA and the Ministry of National Defense again stressed that the schedule for the KF-X project will be pursued as outlined, saying that the nation will make full efforts to domestically develop the four technologies — the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, infrared search and track (IRST), electronic optics targeting pod (EOTGP) and RF jammer — and integration technology for them.
They added that if necessary, the nation will also seek cooperation with other foreign companies.
Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told reporters: “Some uncertainty and difficulties exist. But we will overcome them as the KF-X is a project that needs to be realized.”
The KF-X program, initiated by the late President Kim Dae-jung in March 2001, has been delayed due to budget constraints and questions over its feasibility.
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