Tim Ripley
Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have not given up their efforts to persuade the US Air Force to adopt their T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic lead-in fighter trainer.
The US-South Korean team announced the re-branding of their former KTX-T programme as the T-50 or A-50 Golden Eagle at Asian Aerospace in bid to take the $16 billion international trainer and light fighter market by storm.
"It is now time for the KAI and Lockheed Martin team to focus our marketing efforts on identifying US and third country requirements for the new trainer/ fighter," says Tuck McAtee, vice-president for the North Asian region for Lockheed Martin. "We believe there are potential sales for as many as 600-800 aircraft worldwide."
"On the surface there is not a market for this aircraft in the US - the USAF has just begun to upgrade its T-38 trainers, with engine, structural and avionics improvements, to see it through to 2020, maybe 2040," says McAtee. "However, it is very early on in the development of the T-50 and we will see market development as the customer becomes aware of the aircraft's capability.
"It is more than just a trainer. We will address pockets of the US market first. The fighter lead-in pocket has some potential in the US."
KAI and Lockheed Martin are offering two versions of the basic aircraft, with the T-50 configured for advanced jet and lead-in fighter training and the A-50 equipped for light combat missions. The aircraft is being offered with advanced digital cockpits designed to customers' requirements, digital flight control and GE F404 engines.
Tests
Wind tunnel tests have been completed and the first of six prototypes is due to fly in 2002.
Alex Jun, senior manager of KAI says the aircraft "...will be the world's most modern cost-effective, total training system featuring integrated ground and flight-based training elements capable of preparing the 21st Century pilot to transition safely and efficiently into advanced fighters."
Jun says the first batch of 94 trainer versions is due to be delivered to the South Korean Air Force from 2005 to replace its existing fleet of T-38s and a further 200 could be ordered to replace F-5E/F attack aircraft.
"All milestones have been achieved and we are on track for full scale production," says Jun. "We have the only next generation supersonic trainer with a confirmed customer."
Source: Flight Daily News
