Delayed F-35 Delivery Schedule Due to COVID-19

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] The delivery schedule of the F-35A fighter jets, which were scheduled to arrive in Korea in the first half of this year, has been delayed due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

On the 30th, a military official said, "It is true that the delivery schedule has been slightly delayed this year due to COVID-19, but there will be no disruption to the plan to operationalize 40 units by next year."

The F-35A was planned to have about 10 units delivered from the United States to Korea this year, but only some arrived in February. Several units scheduled for April were postponed to the second half of the year after the U.S. Department of Defense issued an order prohibiting overseas movement of troops due to the spread of COVID-19.

The F-35A delivered to Korea departs from the U.S. by a "ferry flight" method, where only the pilot flies one-way to Cheongju Air Base. However, the U.S. Department of Defense issued an order banning overseas movement of U.S. military personnel until June 30, which has grounded the "ferry pilots."

The Korean military persuaded the U.S. Department of Defense, in cooperation with the United States Forces Korea, to ensure that there would be no issues with quarantine and disinfection for the U.S. pilots flying the F-35A, but it was reportedly unsuccessful. Therefore, the Ministry of National Defense and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration are consulting with U.S. military authorities to prepare for the possibility that the movement ban may not be lifted or that strict conditions on pilot departures may affect the delivery schedule even after the ban is lifted.

The F-35A, named "Freedom Knight," had 13 units delivered last year. If about 10 more units are delivered next year, a total of 40 units will be operationalized. The fifth-generation fighter F-35A is equipped with stealth capabilities and an integrated avionics system including electronic warfare capabilities. It has a maximum speed of Mach 1.6, a range of 2,222 km, and a combat radius of 1,093 km. It can carry up to 30,822 kg of armaments, including AIM-9X air-to-air missiles and GBU-12 air-to-ground precision-guided bombs.