KF-X project takes off as Korea and Lockheed ink deal

The Air Force is the military's main arm these days, so obtaining superior airborne capabilities is a must.
That's why Korea is investing 15 billion dollars to develop its own fighter jet by the year 2026.
Let's take a closer look.

Setback after setback has plagued Seoul's indigenous fighter jet program since it was announced,... but the so-called KF-X project appears to be back on track with a new agreement.
The deal,... signed on Monday between Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration and U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin,... officially clears the way for the two to start work on the project,... though a number of obstacles remain before KF-X can really get off the ground.

The KF-X project is aimed at developing 120 mid-tier fighter jets to replace Korea's aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s.
It started with the FX project in September 2014, when DAPA chose Lockheed as the supplier for its next generation of fighter planes.
Under that deal,... Korea agreed to purchase 40 fifth generation F-35s from Lockheed and Lockheed agreed to transfer the 25 key technologies needed for the KF-X project.

But those plans were thrown into doubt in May of 2015 after the U.S. State Department refused to transfer four of the 25 core technologies needed to develop the fighter jets, citing security concerns.
DAPA says it is currently developing the four missing technologies on its own.
It says one of them, the active electronically scanned array radar, or AESA, is nearly 80 percent complete and could be installed on the jets for testing starting in 2022.
However, there are also questions about whether Korea will get all of the various 500 sub-technologies that are included within the remaining 21.

To ensure the KF-X project is more carefully managed going forward, DAPA has established a task force of 80 officials and experts... and they will start meeting in the new year.

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