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[Exclusive] F-15K jets fly blind to enemy attacks At least 7 percent of F-15Ks, the most advanced fighter jets that Korea has ever purchased, have been flying with a malfunctioning electronic countermeasures (ECM) system over the past few years, according to multiple sources Thursday. No less than four of the country’s 52 F-15Ks in service are operating with a defective ALQ-135M, an internal ECM system manufactured and supplied only to Korea by Northrop Grumman, they said. “Korea has set aside $56 million to procure six ALQ-135Ms to use them as spare parts as the critical electronic warfare suite of the...

For months now, Pentagon and service officials have said it will need all the help it can get from its international partners, as the department begins its swing from Southwest Asia to the Western Pacific. But that help won't include outfitting the South Korean air force with a key, U.S.-built radar system. Pacific Command chief Adm. Robert Willard stopped short of agreeing to equip South Korea's fleet of F-16 fighters with the next-generation Active Electronically Scanned Array radar. Air Force models have already gotten AESA upgrades, which allows U.S. warplanes to track multiple targets during flight. The F-35 Joint Strike...

[Exclusive] F-35 may fail to meet key requirements By Lee Tae-hoon The United States Air Force (USAF) variant of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 will likely fail to meet two of the Korean Air Force’s key requirements — the ability to carry weapons externally and fly at Mach 1.6 (1,930 kilometers per hour) or faster, an industry insider said Tuesday. He pointed out that the Korean military has clearly outlined the two key features as compulsory requirements in its request for proposal (RFP) released Jan. 30. “The maximum speed of the F-35 Lightning II, which is still under development, is Mach 1.6,...

Russia pulls out of Korea fighter project Sweden mulls taking part in FX-III race with Gripen By Lee Tae-hoon Russia will not enter Korea’s advanced jet acquisition project as none of its aircraft manufacturers including Sukhoi expressed their intent to join the heated competition, officials here said. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) listed Sukhoi’s T-50 PAK-FA in July last year as one of the four contenders to have expressed an interest in joining the open bidding worth 8.29 trillion won ($7.3 billion) along with Boeing, Lockheed Martin and the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS). ``No Russian firm...

[Exclusive] Boeing may give up offering stealthy jet Little progress made in weapons bay development By Lee Tae-hoon Industry insiders raised questions Wednesday about whether U.S. aerospace giant Boeing will fulfill its pledge to offer F-15 Silent Eagles (F-15 SEs) with an internal weapons bay and twin canted tails, two of the core technologies for stealth jets, to Seoul. A source familiar with Boeing’s plan to modify its F-15s said little progress has been made in the making of the F-15SE, especially in the development of its conformal weapons bay (CWB), which allows the aircraft to carry weapons internally. “Only...

Korea to purchase 170 stealth cruise missiles next year Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Designed to destroy high value targets By Lee Tae-hoon Korea will purchase some 170 air-to-surface stealth cruise missiles next year capable of destroying high value targets such as military leaders or launching pads for nuclear weapons, multiple sources said Tuesday. A National Assembly official said the government has set aside 388 billion won ($343 million) to procure 177 low-observable, long-range, precision guided stand-off missiles that can be launched from F-15Ks, F-16Ks and other advanced jets after system integration. He said the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) from...

SEOUL AIR SHOW: Boeing sexes up F-15 Silent Eagle for ROKAF By Stephen Trimble on October 18, 2011 You're the marketing guy. It's between your aircraft, the Boeing F-15 Silent Eagle, and the Lockheed Martin F-35. The latter is the latest fifth-generation fighter to hit the market and the former is the last and, perhaps, ultimate expression of a 40-year-old fighter series. You fear the Republic of Korea Air Force really wants the shiniest, newest product. What do you do? You roll out a new paint job and simulate blowing stuff up in North Korea.

South Korea weighs options to replace F-4E Phantoms By: Greg Waldron Singapore "Korea is faced with a vast array of growing threats, both in the air and on the ground" - Lockheed Martin South Korea is surrounded. To the south, east and west lie the sea. To the north lies its arch-rival North Korea. While the region south of Seoul is full of industrial and residential development, the 50km (31-mile) stretch to the demilitarised zone that has divided Korea since 1953 is barely developed, only rolling hills and forest under blue skies. "Property gets cheaper the further north you go,"...

Americans favored in fight to replace Korea’s F-4s By Greg Waldron South Korea faces a threat to its existence - in the shape of its neighbour, North Korea. Though its air force is obsolete, Pyongyang would enter a conflict with the ability to inflict immense damage in a short time. It has made little secret of its efforts to develop nuclear weapons and the missiles to carry them, and it has over 1,000 artillery pieces within firing range of South Korea's capital, Seoul - with many in hardened bunkers. There is also China to consider, which has long served as...

The Air Force has received two more F-15K fighter jets from U.S. defense contractor Boeing, bringing the total number of the advanced aircraft in the country to 47, officials said Monday. South Korea purchased 21 F-15K Slam Eagle jets in 2008 under the second phase of its fighter jet modernization project, and the delivery of the jets will be completed by 2012. The first-phase procurement of 40 F-15K jets was completed in 2008. The two new F-15Ks were deployed at the South's 11th Fighter Wing in Daegu, 302 kilometers southeast of Seoul, according to the Air Force. With a combat...

Seoul accelerates stealth fighter program 2011-03-02 19:18 BoeingÂ’s F-15SE, Lockheed MartinÂ’s F-35 likely candidates for FX-III project South Korea is accelerating moves to purchase a high-end fleet of stealth fighter jets to counter North KoreaÂ’s asymmetrical threats and keep pace with neighboring countries seeking to secure their own radar-evading combat aircraft. Under the FX-III acquisition project worth around 10 trillion won ($8.86 billion), the Seoul government is seeking to purchase some 60 next-generation fighters with an aim to have them delivered for operational deployment to begin in 2016. The government is expected to draw up an acquisition strategy in the...

KF-16 Fighter Jets Fitted with Precision-Guided Missiles South Korea's KF-16 fighter jets will be equipped with state-of-the-art GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition precision-guided missiles. The JDAMs are fitted with GPS-aided inertial navigation system (INS) and wing kits to boost their accuracy and are capable of precision attacks at night and during harsh weather conditions. A South Korean KF-16 fighter jet test-fires a GBU-31 JDAM precision-guided missile. /Courtesy of the Air Force At present, only 40 F-15K fighter jets are fitted with the missiles, but now all about 130 KF-16s will have them, making them more capable of countering North Korea's...

South Korea's planned acquisition of next-generation fighter aircraft platforms could be brought forward one year to 2015 in response to increasing threats from North Korea, Yonhap news agency reported on 30 January. Citing the sensitive nature of the country's FX Phase III (FX-III) procurement programme, an official spokesman from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) told Jane's that he could neither confirm nor deny the reports. However, unnamed defence officials were quoted by state-funded Yonhap as saying that the FX-III acquisition would be launched later this year with the aim of inducting the aircraft within four years. The previous schedule...

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) rolled out its first T/A-50 lead-in fighter trainer on 24 January and has told Jane's that it expects the platform to compete for export deals as it responds to shifting international requirements. The Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) has ordered 22 T/A-50s, with deliveries starting next month and to be completed by 2012, KAI said. The aircraft will supplement the T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer (AJT), more than 50 of which have been inducted by the RoKAF, although requirements for additional AJT platforms exist. The T/A-50 is the same baseline version as the T-50...

S. Korea seeking early purchase of stealth jets: sources SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is moving to introduce the fifth generation of stealth fighter jets at an early date to replace its aging Air Force fighters and to secure capabilities to counter North Korea's increasing provocations, government sources said Sunday. The move comes after the parliament cut the defense ministry's request for some 15.7 billion won (US$14 million) to launch a new fighter jet procurement program this year, granting only 300 million won. "There is a growing consensus within the government that the next-generation fighter program must be...

The South Korean government and military are considering developing stealth aircraft by 2015 as part of the country's fighter development program. Citing an unnamed military source, Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday that North Korea's deadly shelling of Yeonpyeong Island last month has bolstered support among officials in Seoul for pursuing stealth aircraft technology. The possession of stealth aircraft beyond the North's detection capabilities could apply great psychological pressure on the regime, the source said, and allow the South to match the military technology of advanced nations

The last A-10A model of the Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned here departed the base Dec. 4, marking the 25th Fighter Squadron's successful transition to the A-10C model. The new model features improved precision strike capability and enhances the Air Force's ability to provide lethal and precise close-air support, said Maj. Andrew Taylor, from the 51st Operations Group. The first five A-10Cs arrived here in spring 2010, beginning the transition to the new model. The final A-10A aircraft is being transferred for modification and reassignment to the Air National Guard. "The upgrade to the C-model is unlike any other in the...

Boeing [on Nov. 8 delivered three F-15K Slam Eagles to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) at Daegu Air Base. The company delivered the first three of 21 F-15Ks it is producing under the Next Fighter II contract to the ROKAF in September. The remaining 15 aircraft will be delivered through March 2012. "Boeing is honored to deliver these highly advanced fighters to the ROKAF," said Roger Besancenez, Boeing F-15 Program vice president. "We will continue to work closely with our ROKAF customers to prepare for upcoming deliveries that will provide them with superior air combat capability, as we...

Lockheed Martin has signed a contract with the Republic of Korea to provide the nation four C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. Korea’s new Super Hercules will be the longer fuselage or “stretched” combat delivery variant. Deliveries will be in 2014 and the contract also contains a two-year support program including aircrew and maintenance training. Korea joins 14 other nations that have selected the proven C 130J. “Because it is a legacy C-130 operator, the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) is able to take advantage of common spares, support equipment and a sound knowledge of the C-130 to reduce costs and...

Air skirmish might have taken place on the day of Yeonpyeong conflict Korean fighter jets, including F-15K, along with the fighters off from the U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington, flew high into the sky above the West Sea on Nov. 29 during the second day of South Korea-U.S. joint military drill. The drill aims to shoot enemy aircraft in case of a war with the North. In fact, on Nov. 23, the day of the North’s shelling on Yeonpyeong Island, an air fight was in the near verge of outbreak between the South and the North. Soon after the North’s...