[Mid-term Plan Key Point] ⑤ F-15K Also Equipped with AESA Radar

Performance Upgrade of Main Fighters like KF-16 and F-15K to 4.5 Generation
Over 1,088 Modules Enable Simultaneous Detection and Tracking of More Than 1,000 Targets

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Ministry of National Defense has decided to equip its main fighter jets, including the KF-16 and F-15K, with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars. This signifies an upgrade of the KF-16 and F-15K to 4.5-generation fighter jets.

On the 10th, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it has established the 2021-2025 Defense Mid-term Plan, outlining military force construction and operational plans for the next five years. The budget allocated in this mid-term plan amounts to 300.7 trillion KRW, with 100.1 trillion KRW dedicated to defense capability improvements to enhance advanced forces against all-around security threats, and 200.6 trillion KRW allocated for operational costs to maintain defense operations.

The AESA radar, whose prototype was recently developed, is called the "eyes of the fighter jet" and plays a crucial role in modern aerial combat concepts where long-range precision strike capability determines victory. On the 7th, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration held a prototype delivery ceremony at Hanwha Systems’ Yongin Integrated Research Center, the defense company manufacturing the AESA radar.

In 2014, when the Ministry of National Defense and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration selected the American Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jet for the KF-X project, they secured promises for the transfer of four core technologies necessary for fighter development (AESA radar, infrared search and track equipment, electro-optical targeting equipment, and electronic warfare equipment). However, the U.S. Congress suddenly banned the transfer of these technologies. Consequently, the domestic defense industry decided to develop the four core technologies independently.

The domestically produced AESA radar contains about 1,088 modules, each 5 mm in size. With 1,088 "eyes," it can simultaneously detect and track over 1,000 targets at once. Each module costs 45 million KRW, equivalent to the price of a car. Imported modules cost over 80 million KRW, so domestic production saves about half the budget.

Considering that the AESA radar on the U.S. F-35 consists of about 1,200 modules, the domestic radar is not inferior to that of a 5th-generation fighter jet. So far, about six countries, including the U.S., Japan, and China, are known to have developed AESA radars. The domestic AESA radar will enter airborne testing by the end of this year and will be installed on the KFX prototype from 2023 for final testing.