2023 Author: Bryan Walter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 22:24
Alleged appearance of the KF-X.
The South Korean authorities have officially launched the project to develop a new fighter KF-X, according to Defense Aerospace. In total, it is planned to spend 8.5 trillion won (about 7, 1 billion dollars) on the creation of the aircraft. By 2021, it is planned to assemble six prototypes of a promising combat aircraft, and its development should be completed by 2026.
The Korean government has also planned to spend ten trillion won on the production and purchase of 120 KF-X fighters by 2032. As part of the Air Force, they will have to replace the outdated F-4 Phantom II and F-5 Freedom Fighter / Tiger II. In addition to the Korean designers, the American company Lockheed Martin and the Indonesian PT Dirgantara Indonesia are taking part in the project.
According to the Defense Procurement Agency of South Korea, local specialists will develop 90 important systems of the promising aircraft, including a radar station with an active phased antenna array and an electro-optical guidance system. In general, 65 percent of all KF-X units, assemblies and systems will be produced in South Korea.
The American company Lockheed Martin will provide South Korea with 21 technologies used in the American F-35 Lighting II fighter. What technologies will be transferred is not specified. It is known that previously the United States refused to open four F-35 technologies: radar with AFAR, infrared search and tracking system, electro-optical aiming system and electronic suppression system
PT Dirgantara Indonesia will be involved in the design and production of some elements of the new combat aircraft. In addition, the Indonesian government will invest about 1.6 trillion won in the project. Upon completion of the project, one KF-X prototype and some technology will be handed over to Indonesia. Which ones are not specified.
The preliminary design of the South Korean KF-X fighter began back in 2001. Korea classifies the new combat aircraft as Generation 4.5. According to the project, combat aircraft of this type should surpass in their capabilities the Rafale and Typhoon fighters, but inferior to the American F-22 Raptor and F-35.
