The South Korean air force is considering leasing interim fighter aircraft to make up for a two-year delay in its future F-X programme. Samsung Aerospace is lobbying to sell more Lockheed Martin F-16C/Ds to make up the shortfall and keep its Sachon licence production line open beyond 2000.
South Korea was expected to issue a request for proposals to manufacturers by July for its next- generation F-X fighter. Because of the recent economic crisis and defence spending cuts, however, the programme is unlikely to start before 2000.
Unofficial approaches have been made to foreign air forces and manufacturers about leasing fighters as a stopgap measure. South Korea is believed to have asked about the availability of US Air Force Boeing F-15s and UK Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado F3s. The Asian country is trying to maintain a front-line strength of around 500 fighters, but the bulk of this force is comprised of ageing McDonnell Douglas F-4D/Es and Northrop F-5E/Fs.
If funding can be secured to begin an F-X evaluation, the earliest that a new fighter can be expected to enter service is 2003-4.
The air force has already drawn up a list of pre-qualified F-X contenders, which is believed to comprise the F-15K Eagle (based on the F-15E), Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter EF2000 and the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker (Su-27M). The F-X delay is thought to favour the later initial in-service dates of the two new European fighters and could open the door to the F-18E/F in place of the older F-15.
Samsung and Lockheed Martin are instead pressing the air force to extend the F-16 Korean Fighter Programme by a further 50 aircraft, including possibly some reconnaissance versions. The South Korean manufacturer is due to deliver the last Block 52-standard F-16C/Ds in April 2000, after which it faces a shortage of work until production of the KTX-2 advanced trainer/light combat aircraft starts in late 2004.
This offer is meeting resistance from within the air force, which would be forced to divert funding from elsewhere. Spending cutbacks have already forced it to delay the $3 billion airborne early warning programme, an order for new Lockheed Martin C-130J transports and AGM-142 stand-off weapons, and to cancel the acquisition of aerial refuelling tankers.
Source: Flight International
