SOUTH KOREA IS pushing to reach a partnership agreement with Spain and South Africa to develop the KTX-II advanced-trainer/light-combat aircraft, as talks with Lockheed Martin have stalled over workshare and the transfer of technology.

CASA of Spain has been in long-running discussions with Samsung Aerospace to amalgamate its projected ATX programme with the KTX-II. At the initiative of CASA, collaborative talks have been expanded to include South African manufacturer Atlas Aircraft.

South Korea wants to share the estimated $2 billion KTX-II development costs with other countries and to extend its production run beyond the 100 required by South Korea's air force.

The Spanish air force has a long-standing requirement for up to 80 ATX advanced-trainer/light-strike aircraft, but lacks funds to develop the aircraft. Atlas Aircraft is keen to develop a new aircraft for the South African air force as an alternative to off-the-shelf foreign purchases. About 40 aircraft are needed.

South Korean negotiations with Lockheed Martin, in the meantime, have run into trouble over the US company's proposed 20% workshare and the issue of technology transfer. According to a South Korean source, Lockheed Martin's proposed investment in the programme does not match its demand for workshare.

Lockheed Martin is also reluctant to share its fighter-aircraft technology with South Korea and other possible partner countries, complains a Samsung official.

"We're not aware of any problems with technology transfer," says Lockheed Martin, but it admits that the US Government is unlikely to allow foreign countries access to sensitive fly-by-wire and mission-computer software source codes.

South Korea hopes to reach a partnership agreement within the year and to begin full-scale development of the KTX-II in 1997. Samsung, in the meantime, has been awarded $20 million in funding to continue with preliminary design and preparatory development work.o

Selection of the aircraft's avionics suite and engine is expected to be made by the end of 1996. The two leading powerplant contenders are a variant of the Snecma M-88 and General Electric F404.

Source: Flight International