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KAI, Indonesia Sign Deal to Cooperate on KF-X Fighter Jet

OMG F-22 Copy, ripp-off!

Lockheed Martin has joined the program btw, LM will surely get its share of profit if the project end up successful.....:D

KFX 103

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F -22
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Korea launches indigenous fighter project
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An artist's concept of KF-X fighter

6 prototypes will be produced by 2021

By Jun Ji-hye

Korea officially kicked off a project to develop indigenous high-tech fighter jets, Thursday, with the goal of producing six prototypes in 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 KAI, 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 program, 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 to the development, 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 earlier said 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 expenses 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, infrared search and radio frequency (RF) jammer and infrared search and tracking (IRST).

A transfer of a total of 25 technologies was included in an offset deal with Lockheed Martin in return for Korea's purchase of 40 F-35s, signed in September of 2014.

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.


Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
 
KAI To Pick Engine Maker For S.Korean Fighter Jet Project By Month-End
Our Bureau
09:46 AM, April 19, 2016
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KAI To Pick Engine Maker For S.Korean Fighter Jet Project By Month-End
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South Korea’s sole aircraft maker Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd (KAI) is expecting to finalize an engine supplier for the country’s indigenous fighter jet project by April end.

European engine maker Eurojet Turbo GmbH and the US firm General Electric (GE) are vying to be part of the Korean Fighter Experimental (KF-X) program.

KAI told Yonhap on Tuesday that it is talks with these two firms and is expecting to zero in one as early as this month.

"We are in talks with the two companies to select an engine provider for the Korean Fighter Experimental (KF-X) program," said a KAI official. "An engine provider will be selected as early as this month".

South Korea is seeking to locally produce 120 twin-engine combat jets under the KF-X program that is estimated to cost some 18 trillion won (US$16 billion). Seoul aims to deploy the new planes starting in mid-2020 to replace its aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s.

The country's state arms procurement agency said it plans to finalize the basic designs for the plane by September next year and come up with a detailed design by January 2019.

The KF-X project has gained a boost from the US pledge to transfer some of its jet technologies. But Seoul is facing the challenge of finding an alternative as Washington made it clear that four core technologies will be excluded.

http://www.defenseworld.net/news/15...Fighter_Jet_Project_By_Month_End#.VxYzSPl97IV
 
S. Korea Picks Hanwha Thales for KF-X Radar Project
(Source: Korea Herald; published April 20, 2016)
By Yoon Min-sik

The South Korean military on Wednesday selected Hanwha Thales as its priority negotiation partner in development of the advanced radar for homegrown fighter jet project, officials said.

According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the state-run Agency for Defense Development chose the local supplier -- the defense affiliate of Hanwha Group -- as the preferred bidder for the Active Electronically Scanned Array radar. The radar will be for the Korean Fighter Experimental, or KF-X, project.

Signals from AESA radars are spread out across a band of frequencies and are difficult to detect over background noise, making it less susceptible to detection. This allows the ships or aircrafts to remain stealthy while sending out radar signals.

Hanwha Thales trumped its rival LIG Nex1 Co., which had also been vying for the spot and is now next in line for negotiations.

The ADD will commence negotiations with Hanwha Thales and is slated to ink a deal in June.

“The technological capacities and the cost efficiency were the two main categories in selecting the priority negotiation partner, along with security and cooperation with small and medium enterprises,” said an ADD official.

He said LIG Nex1 Co., which had been considered the more prominent candidate, had been relatively exposed more than its rival.

The indigenous jet project seeks to produce 120 fighter jets with domestic technology with a budget of some 1.8 trillion won ($1.6 billion)

The decision was made at the 94th Defense Acquisition Program Executive Committee, presided by Defense Minister Han Min-koo.

At the meeting, the officials also decided on 1.1 trillion won plans to deploy the anti-tank guided missile project, named “Hyeongung” or “Raybolt,” over the next seven years.

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South Korea set to select foreign engine for KFX fighter
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Industry
19 May 2016


South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is in the final stages of selecting a foreign manufacturer to supply an engine that will power the Republic of Korea Air Force's (RoKAF's) proposed Korean Fighter Experimental (KFX) aircraft, the military procurement agency revealed to IHS Jane's on 19 May.

A DAPA spokesman said that engines proposed by Eurojet and General Electric (GE) are currently being assessed by DAPA before a decision in the next few weeks and an expected contract signing in June. Eurojet has offered DAPA its EJ200 turbofan engine, which is also used to power the Eurofighter Typhoon, while GE has offered its F414 powerplant, which is installed on the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

Source: https://defence.pk/threads/indonesia-military-news-discussion-thread.229571/page-660#ixzz49NsOhIns
 
South Korea selects GE as KFX engine provider
Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
26 May 2016


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The South Korean KFX fifth-generation fighter project is progressing with the recent announcement of a radar supplier and now the selection of GE to provide the engines. Source: IHS/Gareth Jennings
South Korea has selected General Electric (GE) to provide the powerplant for its developmental KFX fifth-generation fighter aircraft, national media reported on 26 May.

The US company has been chosen over its European rival Eurojet to provide engines for 120 of the twin-jet aircraft in a deal valued at KRW18 trillion (USD15.3 billion), according to the Yanhop News Agency.

GE's bid was centred around its F414 turbofan, which powers the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, while Eurojet was pushing its EJ200, which powers the Eurofighter Typhoon. IHS Jane's previously reported that the winning engine would be decided on performance, price, and proposed defence offset packages including technology transfer deals. At least half of the engine's components are expected to be manufactured in South Korea.

Under the terms of the deal, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will assume the role of the prime contractor as the overall lead for the KFX programme, although it is likely to subcontract to other South Korean companies that specialise in aviation powerplants, such as Hanwha Techwin, Korean Air Aerospace Division, Korea Lost-Wax, Nexcoms, Neuros, and Yulkok. According to the Yanhop News Agency report, GE is expected to receive a contract in June.

The Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) recently selected Hanwha Thales as the preferred bidder for the aircraft's radar system. The powerplant selection is a major milestone in the administration's bid to begin building KFX fighters by the end of the 2020s.

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http://www.janes.com/article/60743/south-korea-selects-ge-as-kfx-engine-provider
 
Hanwha Thales to start radar development for KF-X jets next month: chief
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South Korean defense manufacturer Hanwha Thales plans to kick off the process to develop an advanced radar system to be fitted onto the country's indigenous fighter jets next month, the company's CEO said Thursday.

In April, the defense unit of conglomerate Hanwha Group was picked as the preferred bidder to build active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars for some 120 fighter jets that South Korea seeks to develop by the mid-2020s.

Chang Si-kwon, chief executive of Hanwha Thales, told reporters in Paris that his company plans to produce a model of the AESA and that this will be used in operational tests with the Agency for Defense Development (ADD).

Hanwha Thales, set to clinch the final contract with ADD, plans to produce the first prototype of the radar by June 2017 and another one by the following year if the radar works as planned.

"The parent group is fully supporting us in our efforts to become a world-class defense manufacturer," Chang said. "The group is stressing that we must succeed in developing the AESA radars."

South Korea is seeking to deploy the new planes to be built under the 18 trillion won ($15.4 billion) Korean Fighter Experimental (KF-X) project in a bid to replace its aging jet fleet of F-4s and F-5s.

Last month, U.S. company General Electric (GE) was selected as the preferred bidder to supply engines for South Korea's next-generation fighter jets.

South Korea had initially planned to secure 25 fighter jet technologies from U.S. aerospace giant Lockheed Martin in an offset deal linked to Seoul's purchase of 40 of the company's F-35 Lightning II fighters in 2014.

But the U.S. government refused last year to approve the export of four core technologies, including those related to the radar, forcing Seoul to find an alternative supplier. (Yonhap)



http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2016/06/205_207186.html
 
South Korea Conducts Wind Tunnel Testing for KF-X Jet


KF-X fighter jet (image : bemil)

South Korea kicked off wind tunnel testing as it moves forward to finalize the design of its next-generation jet fuselage by mid-2018, the aircraft's local developers said Wednesday.

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI), the country's sole aircraft manufacturer, and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute said they started the first phase of wind tunnel testing in a bid to lay out the design for the Korean Fighter Experimental (KF-X) program.

The KF-X project, which will cost 18 trillion won (US$15.3 billion) of the taxpayers money, will call for the building of some 120 twin-engine combat jets. Seoul aims to deploy the new planes starting in the mid-2020s to replace its fleet of vintage F-4s and F-5s.

A wind tunnel test assesses aerodynamic forces that an object can withstand as well as overall flight properties by letting air move past it.

Officials said that they will conduct a combined 13,000 hours of wind tunnel testing with the finalized design to be penned in about two years time.

The testing is part of a broader effort by Seoul to build a jet fighter that is expected to boost the capabilities of its Air Force.

In May, South Korea picked U.S. company General Electric (GE) as the preferred bidder to supply engines for the fighter jets, while a month earlier it tapped South Korean defense manufacturer Hanwha Thales as the primary negotiation partner to build active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

South Korea had initially planned to secure 25 fighter jet technologies from U.S. aerospace giant Lockheed Martin in an offset deal linked to Seoul's purchase of 40 of the company's F-35 Lightning II fighters in 2014.

But the U.S. government refused last year to approve the export of four core technologies, including those related to the AESA radar, forcing Seoul to find an alternative supplier.

(Korea Times)

Source: https://defence.pk/threads/indonesia-military-news-discussion-thread.229571/page-679#ixzz4CMqHdku9
 
General Electric prepares to launch localisation programme in South Korea
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
22 June 2016


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A concept model of the KAI KFX, displayed at ADEX 2015. Source: IHS/James Hardy
Key Points
  • General Electric set to expand engagement with South Korean industry
  • Offset attached to pending sale of KFX engines features at least 50% localisation
General Electric (GE) has outlined an expansive localisation programme to support its pending contract to supply F414 turbofan engines for the Republic of Korea Air Force's (RoKAF's) Korean Fighter Experimental (KFX) aircraft.

A GE spokesman told IHS Jane's on 21 June that although the F414 purchase contract is still being negotiated the company's initial defence offset proposal includes a plan, which is still subject to change, to build more than 50% of the powerplant's components in South Korea.

South Korea's military procurement agency, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), announced in late May that it had selected GE to power the twin-engine KFX with its F414-GE-400, which powers the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. GE was selected ahead of its European rival Eurojet, which had offered the EJ200, the powerplant of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The value of the engine contract has not been disclosed.

DAPA said the decision on the KFX powerplant was taken in collaboration with the RoKAF; Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the prime contractor on the USD15 billion KFX development project; and Hanwha Techwin, South Korea's main aero-engine producer, which is expected to partner GE on the F414 programme. DAPA hopes to finalise negotiations with GE on the purchase of the engine as well as the defence offset package in the next few months.

The GE spokesman said this offset package would reflect the company's intention to "put the utmost effort into localisation to help the indigenous Korean industry grow". He said the proposed offset package features a plan to transfer manufacturing technology as well as maintenance, repair, and overhaul capability.

He added, "GE is committed to support Hanwha Techwin, KAI, and RoKAF by providing engine localisation options that meet or exceed the request for proposal requirements in excess of 50% for both the EMD [engineering and manufacturing development] and production phases [of the KFX programme]."

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Korea, US Meet on Fighter Jet Project


KFX fighter jet (photos : naver)

Korea and the United States held their first high-level talks in Washington, Tuesday, on the transfer of jet technologies for Seoul's project to develop its own fighter jets.

The Ministry of National Defense said the two sides discussed the vital intersection of foreign and national security policies on defense technology cooperation, including issues related to the transfer of technologies for the KF-X project.

It was the first high-level meeting of the Defense Technology Strategy & Cooperation Group (DTSCG), which followed the group's working-level talks held in March. The DTSCG was established last year based on an agreement between defense chiefs of the two nations.

During Tuesday's meeting, the Korea delegation, led by Vice Defense Minister Hwang In-mo and Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs Lee Tae-ho, stressed the need for the transfer of key technologies from the United States for the success of the KF-X project, according to a ministry official.

In response, the U.S. delegation, led by David Shear, assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, and Rose Gottemoeller, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, said the two sides will continue to discuss the issue, the official said.

The official added that details about which technologies will be transferred were not determined during the meeting.

The joint press release of the two sides also said, "The U.S. delegation provided an overview of its conventional arms transfer and regional defense trade policies."




The release added that the two sides concurred on the need for regular information-sharing on relevant issues and decided to continue to utilize the DTSCG to advance policy and strategic discussions on technology security, foreign policy and defense technology cooperation in support of the ROK-U.S. alliance.

The 8.5 trillion won KF-X project is to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s. The government will invest an additional 10 trillion won to produce 120 jets by 2032.

The project is proceeding with the help of the U.S. defense company, Lockheed Martin, which vowed to transfer technologies used in the F-35 stealth fighter in return for Korea's purchase of 40 F-35s, signed in September of 2014.

In early December, the U.S. government approved the transfer of 21 technologies in a "large frame," according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

Since then, negotiations between DAPA and Lockheed Martin officials have been ongoing to list the details, as hundreds of technical items are part of 21 technologies.

Before its official kickoff in January, the KF-X project had suffered a severe crisis after the U.S. government refused in April of last year to allow the defense firm to hand over four core technologies — the active electronically scanned array radar, electronic optics targeting pod, the infrared search and radio frequency jammer and the infrared search and tracking system.

The DAPA said the nation will domestically develop those four technologies.

During the meeting, the Korea delegation also asked the United States to give it technologies related to the development of the medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (MUAV), the official said. Washington said that was being considered added.

The two sides plan to hold the next DTSCG high-level talks in 2017, according to officials.

On the sidelines of the defense talks, Hwang met Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert O. Work to discuss views on extended efforts between the two allies to cope with ever-growing nuclear and military threats from North Korea, according to the ministry.

(Korea Times)
 
S. Korea to complete radar development for KF-X jets by 2026
2016/08/10 13:29

SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will complete the development of an advanced radar system to be placed on the country's indigenous fighter jets by 2026 that will greatly boost its air-combat capabilities, the state arms procurement agency said Wednesday.

The state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) has begun the process of developing the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars for some 120 KF-X fighter jets that South Korea seeks to develop by the mid-2020s, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said. It said a meeting with related officials and experts was held at the ADD's headquarters in Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul.

"We are planning to produce the first prototypes of the AESA radar system by the second half of 2020. Starting in 2021, the radar system will undergo a five-year-long test run after being mounted onto the KF-X jet before its development project is completed in 2026," a DAPA official said.

South Korea plans to build the new planes under the 18 trillion-won (US$15 billion) Korean Fighter Experimental (KF-X) project in a bid to replace its aging jet fleet of F-4s and F-5s.



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In this photo taken on June 14, 2016, an AESA radar is displayed in a workshop of military officials and experts held in Seoul. (Yonhap)



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In this photo taken on June 14, 2016, a model KF-X fighter jet is displayed in a workshop of military officials and experts in Seoul. (Yonhap)



The Korean military decided to develop the AESA radar system on its own as the United States refused to transfer core technologies related to the fighter jet and the advanced radar in April last year.

"Based on our accumulated technologies and know-how, we will develop the most optimal type of an AESA radar system that meets the Korean Air Force's operational requirements within the set time period (of now to 2026)," an arms procurement official said.

AESA is a type of phased array radar whose transmitter and receiver functions are composed of numerous small transmit/receive (T/R) modules. AESA radars have almost instantaneous scanning rates, making them difficult to jam and allowing the aircraft employing the technology to remain stealthy.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr

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http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2016/08/10/2/0301000000AEN20160810005400315F.html
 
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