Showing posts with label Korea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Korea. Show all posts
January 18, 2018
October 31, 2017
September 17, 2017
July 31, 2017
KAI says first two T-50TH for RTAF to be delivered in November 2019
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) said on Jul. 30 that it will be delivering the first two T-50TH advanced jet trainer for the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) in November 2019.
July 26, 2017
Scandal at KAI put F-35, KF-X programs in the spotlight
The current investigation into corruption at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has been seen by many in South Korea as a probe into defense programs initiated under former President Park Geun-hye.
March 15, 2017
December 20, 2016
Korea Future Technology - Method 1 Piloted Giant Robot Testing
Expect this to be used in the battles of the future
January 27, 2016
Maiden flight of KAI Surion medavac variant
The medavac variant of KAI’s Surion helicopter made its maiden flight on Jan. 22. The rotor-craft was airborne for 20 minutes during the flight at Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province.
January 22, 2016
Korea Starts KF-X Fighter Development : 6 Prototypes will be Produced by 2021
Korea officially kicked off a project to develop indigenous high-tech fighter jets, Thursday, with the goal of producing six prototypes by 2021 and completing development by 2026.
Officials from all entities involved held their first meeting at the headquarters of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the main contractor, in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province.
They are the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin, the Indonesian Defense Ministry and Indonesia's state-run defense firm PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI).
The government plans to spend 8.5 trillion won in the development of the KF-X, and an additional 10 trillion won to produce 120 jets by 2032 to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s.
DAPA said the nation will domestically develop some 90 items necessary for the aircraft, including the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and electronic optics targeting pod (EOTGP), which the U.S. government earlier refused to hand over to Korea for security reasons.
"Our goal is to localize 65 percent of the components for the aircraft," DAPA said in a release.
The project will also proceed with the help of Lockheed Martin which will transfer 21 technologies used in the F-35 stealth fighter. In early December, the U.S. government approved the transfer of the technologies in a "large frame," according to DAPA.
For its part, the Indonesian government will invest some 1.6 trillion won in the project, and its defense firm will participate in the process of design and component production. The country will also be given one prototype and technology data afterward.
But concerns still remain over the possibility that the U.S. might once again refuse to approve the handover of some of the technologies requested by Seoul, as negotiations between DAPA and Lockheed officials are still ongoing to list the details, as hundreds of technical items are part of them.
DAPA head Chang Myoung-jin said earlier that negotiations will continue for the next two to three years.
In addition, some critics are still skeptical about whether the nation will be able to domestically develop the AESA radar and other integral technologies by the target deadline.
As part of efforts to manage such risks involving the multi-million-dollar project, the National Assembly established a subcommittee comprised of professors and experts in the aerospace field to consistently monitor the costs and schedule of the development process, according to DAPA.
It said in a release, "We will dispatch professional manpower comprised of DAPA and Air Force officials to KAI headquarters from the end of this month in an effort to maximize oversight."
KAI President and CEO Ha Sung-yong said, "We will concentrate all our capacity to succeed in the KF-X project and contribute to the nation's economy."
Before its official kickoff, the program had suffered a severe crisis after the U.S. government refused in April to allow Lockheed to hand over four core technologies — the AESA radar, the EOTGP, the infrared search and radio frequency (RF) jammer and the infrared search and tracking (IRST) system.
A transfer of a total of 25 technologies was included in an offset deal signed in September of 2014 with Lockheed Martin in return for Korea's purchase of 40 F-35s.
Amid growing skepticism about the feasibility of the KF-X program at the time, DAPA said that the nation could domestically develop them and the U.S. government had promised to approve the transfer of the other 21 technologies.
December 30, 2015
October 27, 2015
September 21, 2015
Korea to Sell Four T50 Trainer Jets to Thailand
South Korea on Thursday secured a contract to export four T-50 trainer jets to Thailand in another coup that marks the local defense industry’s growing technological clout.
The $110 million agreement was clinched between the Korea Aerospace Industries and the Thai government in Seoul. The supersonic aircraft, built with technical assistance from the American defense giant Lockheed Martin, is scheduled to be delivered by March 2018.
The Thai Air Force has been pushing to replace its L39 jets manufactured in the former Czechoslovakia and used for more than 30 years. Its cabinet approved 3.7 billion baht ($103 million) for the project late last year.
The country’s sole aircraft maker vied with those from the U.S., Russia, China and Italy. The Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province-headquartered company and its Chinese competitor had been seen as the most likely winners.
“The decision by the Thai Air Force, which has long purchased cutting-edge weapons systems made by aerospace powerhouses, will provide a chance for its long-term partnership with KAI,” the firm said in a press statement.
“The T-50 is the best alternative for the force’s drive to modernize its military and cultivate fourth-generation combat pilots.”
The latest agreement may pave the way for additional sales of the T-50 as Thailand is reportedly seeking to bring in as many as 24 more trainer jets in the coming months. If KAI wins the contract, the sum is likely to near $800 million, the largest package for the model’s exports.
KAI is also setting sights on the U.S. Air Force’s $10 billion program called T-X to adopt new two-seat, faster jet trainers to replace the Northrop T-38 Talon. The winner is expected to be announced in the second half of 2017, company officials said. On the industry front, the deal highlights South Korea’s efforts to shore up its charges into the global warplane market.
KAI sealed a $420 million contract with the Philippines last year to sell 12 light attack FA-50 fighters, the T-50’s armed version, a $1.1 billion deal with Iraq in 2013 to supply 24 FA-50s and a $400 million bid with Indonesia in 2011 to provide 16 T-50s.
In 2013, Thailand signed its largest-ever naval procurement agreement worth 14.6 billion baht to purchase a multipurpose frigate from South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, with its delivery slated for 2018.
August 4, 2015
June 30, 2015
December 27, 2014
Raytheon Awarded Contract to Produce AMRAAM for Korea, Oman, Singapore, and Thailand
defense.gov
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded a $491,478,068 fixed-price incentive firm type contract for Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM) production Lot 28. Contractor will provide AMRAAM missiles and other AMRAAM system items.
The AMRAAM system includes the missile, captive air training missile, common munitions bit/reprogramming equipment, and non-developmental item airborne instrumentation unit. Work will be performed at Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2017.
This contract involves foreign military sales to Korea, Oman, Singapore, and Thailand.
This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2014 Air Force and Navy production funds in the amount of $278,874,197 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8675-15-C-0022).
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