KF-X | |
---|---|
Role | Multirole Fighter |
Manufacturer | Korea Aerospace Industries Indonesian Aerospace |
Introduced | Designated to be approximately 2020 |
Status | In development |
Primary user | Republic of Korea Air Force Indonesian Air Force |
Number built | none yet |
The Korea Aerospace Industries KF-X is South Korea's project to develop an indigenous fighter aircraft for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF). It was first announced by South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung at the graduation ceremony of the Air Force Academy in March 2001. Although the initial operational requirements for the KF-X program as stated by the ADD (Agency for Defence Development) were to develop a single-seat, twin-engine jet with stealth capabilities beyond either the Dassault Rafale or Eurofighter Typhoon, but still less than the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the focus of the program has been shifted to producing a fighter with higher capabilities than F-16 Block 50 class fighter by 2020.[1][2]
On 15th July 2010 the South Korean and Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding where Indonesia agreed to finance 20% of the development cost and to obtain around 50 units of the fighter.[3]
Design and development
According to the Weapon Systems Concept Development and Application Research Center of Konkuk University, the KF-X is intended to be an F-16 Block 50 class fighter which would replace South Korea's aging F-4D/E Phantom II and F-5E/F Tiger II aircraft, with production numbers estimated to be over 250 aircraft. Compared to the F-16 Block 50, the KF-X will have a 50% greater combat radius, 34% longer airframe lifespan, better avionics including a domestically produced AESA radar, an electronic warfare suite, IRST, and datalink capabilities. Operational requirements also specify 50,000 pounds of thrust provided by one or preferably two engines, high-speed interception and supercruise capabilities, basic stealth technology and multirole capabilities. There are currently two competing designs for the KFX, the KFX-201 which has a tri-plane layout with canards and a more conventional, F-35 style KFX-101 design.
South Korea currently possesses 63% of the necessary technology to produce the KF-X and is therefore seeking cooperation from Saab, Boeing and Lockheed Martin to develop the KF-X. The cost of each KF-X aircraft is estimated to be roughly $50 million.[4][5]
South Korea also lacks the funds to develop the aircraft and expects foreign partners to provide 40% of the development funding for a project to produce around 120 jets for South Korea.[6]
In October 2009 a retired general in the South Korean Air Force was arrested for leaking classified documents to Swedish aviation and defence corporation Saab. The general was to have been given a bribe of several hundred thousand dollars for copies of a number of secret documents that he had photographed in the South Korean Defence University. Saab officials denied any involvement.[7][8][9]
Indonesia government on 15 July 2010 agreed to fund 20% of KF-X project cost in return of 50 planes built for Indonesian Air Force after the project completion. [10]
Specifications
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them. |
- Crew: 1
- Thrust: about 50,000 lbf
- Avionics
- Datalink capabilities
- AESA radar
- IRST
References
- ^ http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/03/116_41896.html
- ^ http://www.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?sec=sisa1&idxno=2009072414004260622
- ^ Indonesia Joins South Korean Fighter Effort
- ^ http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4202866&c=ASI&s=AIR
- ^ http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/07/113_49176.html
- ^ Seoul seeks to make own jets, choppers
- ^ http://svt.se/2.22620/1.1731852/korean_anholls_for_lacka_till_saab
- ^ http://www.swedishwire.com/business/1089-saab-suspected-of-bribes-in-south-korean-jet-deal
- ^ http://www.alert5.com/2009/10/saab-being-investigated-in-south-korea.html
- ^ http://internasional.kompas.com/read/2010/07/15/17050041/IndonesiaKorsel.Kembangkan.Jet.KFX-8
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