Posted on 11/11/2010 8:56:10 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Boeing and Korea Aerospace Industries have entered a memorandum of agreement for the Korean firm to design, develop and manufacture the conformal weapons bays for the former's F-15 Silent Eagle.
The announcement is significant because South Korea is likely to issue a request for proposals for its F-X3 fighter contract in the first quarter of 2011. In a deal that could number up to 60 aircraft, the F-15SE will compete with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Eurofighter Typhoon to replace the country's ageing Northrop F-5s and McDonnell Douglas F-4s.
The F-15SE's conformal weapons bays will provide internal carriage and reduce the aircraft's radar signature. Boeing has claimed that the F-15SE will provide the frontal-aspect stealth provided by fifth-generation fighters.
(Excerpt) Read more at flightglobal.com ...
The US government approved an export policy for the F-15SE in the second quarter of 2010, after Boeing submitted details of its radar cross-section characteristics about six months earlier. The approval allows the company to request an export licence for specific customers, with South Korea seemingly the first in the queue.”
Israel has been chomping at the bit to buy this plane. When Netanyahu met with 0 this past July he specifically asked about quick approval for export to Israel and 0 didn’t give him an answer. Saudia Arabia is also looking to buy I believe close to 100 copies.
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