South Korea's plans to develop an indigenous fifth-generation fighter have suffered a blow after the Korea Development Institute, a government-linked economic think-tank, concluded that the project would be financially and technically unviable.
The institute found that the government would have to pick up much of the $10 billion tab for the KF-X programme, according to military sources in Seoul.
Exports could help defray the cost, but the KDI also believes that foreign buyers are unlikely to be interested in the aircraft - something that several military observers have pointed out as well.
South Korea was also keen to involve several foreign partners in order to get access to their technology, and the likes of Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Saab, GE and Safran were invited to give their feedback last year.
However, the sources say that most of the companies were also less than optimistic about the programme's potential.
The KDI study concludes that it would be cheaper and more viable for South Korea to simply buy fifth-generation fighters, possibly the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, from western suppliers when they become available.
The final report is due around March and the government will make a decision soon after, say the sources. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration, South Korea's main arms procurements agency, says that it has not reached a final decision on the KF-X programme.
If confirmed, the findings will be a blow to those in South Korea's defence establishment who pushed for the KF-X programme.
It was unveiled last November by the Agency for Defense Development and meant as a way for South Korea to wean itself off its dependency on the USA for military hardware and boost the domestic industry's capability to develop a fifth-generation fighter.
The fighter was envisaged as a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft with a total thrust of over 40,000lb (180kN), and having more stealth capability than the Dassault Rafale or Eurofighter Typhoon but not as much as the F-35. It would have replaced the country's McDonnell F-4 and Northrop F-5 fleets after 2020.
Seoul plans to buy a total of 120 fighters under its ongoing F-X programme. It ordered 40 Boeing F-15s in 2002, and is close to completing negotiations for another 20 aircraft. The third phase is due to begin in 2011 for delivery from 2014, and the F-15 is likely to be selected again if the F-35 is still not available.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
