Russia seeks to sell stealth jets to Korea

[Korean]

Russia enters S. Korean tender with 5th-generation fighter | Defense | RIA Novosti

The T-50 offered to Seoul is most likely an export version of the aircraft being developed by Sukhoi and India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) under a $6-billion joint project.

Russian proposal is similar to Indian FGFA. In other word, Russia would sell the airframe and the engine, and the customer can fit avionics of its own preference. This would actually make the bid more sense, as Koreans can simply fit their own avionics and AESA radar in place of Russian, and license produce the engine. This would eliminate the uncertainties about the maintenance and support issue.

In other news, Lockheed Martin, sensing that it has been pushed to corner, is making an all-out publicity campaign and is now claiming that Lockheed Martin is ready to transfer stealth technology to win the bid and join KF-X project.

Lockheed Martin offers stealth technology

Lockheed Martin offers stealth technology

“We’d be honored to be a partner in the KF-X program,” Stephen O’Bryan, Lockheed's vice president for F-35 business development, said in an interview in Seoul.
“With the F-35 type of technology, we can give you (Korea) state-of-the-art stealth and fifth-generation manufacturing technology.”

 

[rcrmj]

Russia enters S. Korean tender with 5th-generation fighter | Defense | RIA Novosti



Russian proposal is similar to Indian FGFA. In other word, Russia would sell the airframe and the engine, and the customer can fit avionics of its own preference. This would actually make the bid more sense, as Koreans can simply fit their own avionics and AESA radar in place of Russian, and license produce the engine. This would eliminate the uncertainties about the maintenance and support issue.

In other news, Lockheed Martin, sensing that it has been pushed to corner, is making an all-out publicity campaign and is now claiming that Lockheed Martin is ready to transfer stealth technology to win the bid and join KF-X project.

Lockheed Martin offers stealth technology

any Korean avionics and AESA radar project at the moment? I thought LM gave licence to SK to buid F-15, and T-50 'golden eagle' trainer jet? and any SK planes equipt with AESA radars?

sorry for so many questions

 

[HROBOS]

1) In South Korea and Russia have a common enemy - Japan (territorial disputes).
2) In South Korea and Russia have a common neighbor restless - China.
3) Who will support the United States in the Event of Armed Conflict (Japan and South Korea)?
4) Russia will remain a neighbor always. United States in the region temporal value.

This does not mean we should rush into each other's arms. However, it is normal for Russia and South Korea to build partnerships (with an eye to the future).
Arms trade, fits into the concept.

 

[Korean]

any Korean avionics and AESA radar project at the moment?

The local AESA radar panel is operational, but the backend is a work in progress. Local avionics is in flight testing and will be ready by next year. The local avionics are currently designed to interface with EL/M-2032 and EL/M-2052 radars, but integrating the local AESA radar won't be a problem once it demonstrates its readiness.

The goal is to have a local alternative to F-16 mid-life upgrade program which goes on bidding in a couple of years. If the local avionics wins the competition, that's fine. If it does not, that's fine too since it would have driven the bidding price down from winning foreign bidders.

 

[Stargate]

I don't support that idea at all. Very bad idea for the Russian side.

 

[Tshering22]

1) In South Korea and Russia have a common enemy - Japan (territorial disputes).
2) In South Korea and Russia have a common neighbor restless - China.
3) Who will support the United States in the Event of Armed Conflict (Japan and South Korea)?
4) Russia will remain a neighbor always. United States in the region temporal value.

This does not mean we should rush into each other's arms. However, it is normal for Russia and South Korea to build partnerships (with an eye to the future).
Arms trade, fits into the concept.

You put it a little too bluntly... But yeah, SK is a great country to be welcomed onboard the PAKFA/FGFA group. With its own industrial know-how and capabilities, it would be one lethal air force if FGFA comes into their hands. Nice choice for a customer, mate. But what weapons would they choose for their variant? Kh series is getting old and you and we are going to use almost same weapon systems both yours and ours. South Koreans on the other hand will need to understand Russian AAMs and AGMs.

 

[Zabaniyah]

Switching from US equipment to Russian? Wow, that's a revolution

It's not easy to switch from US suppliers. Ask the Middle Easterners (including Israelis), Pakistan and even Japan.

 

[Korean]

But what weapons would they choose for their variant?

Existing stock of US weapons(AMRAAM, Sidewinder, SLAM-ER, Popeye) plus new stock of Korean weapons. Sidewinder equivalent, Korean glide bomb(100 km+ range), Yakhont-K(Another weapon of Russian origin. Similar to Indian Brahmos, but 25% smaller than Brahmos due to weight reduction from better Korean electronics and warhead), and a possible KM-SAM derived mid-range A2A missile etc.

Having foreign avionics, even US ones, always was a hurdle in integrating Korean weapons. This is why Korean warships are loaded with local missiles, but not Korean fighter jets due to avionics access issue.

 

[rcrmj]

The local AESA radar panel is operational, but the backend is a work in progress. Local avionics is in flight testing and will be ready by next year. The local avionics are currently designed to interface with EL/M-2032 and EL/M-2052 radars, but integrating the local AESA radar won't be a problem once it demonstrates its readiness.

The goal is to have a local alternative to F-16 mid-life upgrade program which goes on bidding in a couple of years. If the local avionics wins the competition, that's fine. If it does not, that's fine too since it would have driven the bidding price down from winning foreign bidders.

so you are saying SK avionics and AESA are still in their development/testing stages, right?

 

[Korean]

so you are saying SK avionics and AESA are still in their development/testing stages, right?

Local combat avionics program is in flight testing and is scheduled to get its final clearance for deployment next year. This one is funded by the government and is not tied to the local AESA program, and interfaces with EL/M-2032(Mechanical) and EL/M-2052(AESA) radars.

Local AESA program is a privately funded program. It started out as a government funded tech demonstration program that ended last year having met its objectives, but the contractor decided to continue with its own funding to commercialize it, targeting the forthcoming F-16 mid-life upgrade program as the local candidate.

It was always understood that KFX would have local avionics, local EW and local AESA radar. The question is, will the local AESA + avionics combo be ready in time to be fit into PAK-FA by 2016? At least Korea's situation is better than India's, because Koreans have "really" local(as in engineered and manufactured locally, not license produced) AESA radar and avionics program going.

 

[HROBOS]

Switching from US equipment to Russian? Wow, that's a revolution

It's not easy to switch from US suppliers. Ask the Middle Easterners (including Israelis), Pakistan and even Japan.

1. Korea already has the operating experience of Russian arms.
2. Who said anything about the total elimination of U.S. weapons?
3. As I said earlier. America have come and gone. Neighbors remain forever. The economic crisis in the U.S. or large-scale diversion of U.S. forces in the other region. In this case, South Korea is one in front of his problems. Among the hostile environment. In this regard, South Korea needed a fallback.
Russia also needs additional foothold in the region.
South Korea and Vietnam are potential allies for Russia in this region. However, this is a distant prospect.

 

[Zshu]

Existing stock of US weapons(AMRAAM, Sidewinder, SLAM-ER, Popeye) plus new stock of Korean weapons. Sidewinder equivalent, Korean glide bomb(100 km+ range), Yakhont-K(Another weapon of Russian origin. Similar to Indian Brahmos, but 25% smaller than Brahmos due to weight reduction from better Korean electronics and warhead), and a possible KM-SAM derived mid-range A2A missile etc.

Having foreign avionics, even US ones, always was a hurdle in integrating Korean weapons. This is why Korean warships are loaded with local missiles, but not Korean fighter jets due to avionics access issue.

So,you are saying Yakhont-k with Korean electronics is better than indians indigenous Brahmos right?

 

[Korean]

So,you are saying Yakhont-k with Korean electronics is better than indians indigenous Brahmos right?

Yakhont : 3 tons
Brahmos : 2.5 tons
Yakhont-K : 2 tons

All three does the same thing at same speed, but Korean one is 500 kg less than Brahmos, just like how Brahmos weigh 500 kg less due to advances in electronics.

And this is because Koreans have a world-class electronics industry that's much more advanced that either Russian or Indian, so that's why it's smaller and weigh less.

 

[Zabaniyah]

It'd be interesting to see Russian equipment with Korean electronics.

 

[Cambodia Spirit]

1) In South Korea and Russia have a common enemy - Japan (territorial disputes).
2) In South Korea and Russia have a common neighbor restless - China.
3) Who will support the United States in the Event of Armed Conflict (Japan and South Korea)?
4) Russia will remain a neighbor always. United States in the region temporal value.

This does not mean we should rush into each other's arms. However, it is normal for Russia and South Korea to build partnerships (with an eye to the future).
Arms trade, fits into the concept.

Wow sir, you have picked the avatar right true to describe your soul!!!

1. Korea already has the operating experience of Russian arms.
2. Who said anything about the total elimination of U.S. weapons?
3. As I said earlier. America have come and gone. Neighbors remain forever. The economic crisis in the U.S. or large-scale diversion of U.S. forces in the other region. In this case, South Korea is one in front of his problems. Among the hostile environment. In this regard, South Korea needed a fallback.
Russia also needs additional foothold in the region.
South Korea and Vietnam are potential allies for Russia in this region. However, this is a distant prospect.

Wow, this is amazing, I have though about what you though long time ago but this time is really fantastic because it coming out from a Ruskie. So where is the North Korea? Where is the border lines between Korean peninsula with your great "viva" Russia? What would South Korea troops do when a conflict between two of its protectors USA and Russia in fights? Remember Vietnam, remember Iraq? ....and Japan in your though maybe just a dumb joke standing still and watch!?