Retiring F-5 Fighter Jet... US Export Discussions

[Monthly Defense Times Editor-in-Chief An Seung-beom] It is reported that discussions are underway to export the retired F-5E fighter jets operated by our Air Force to the United States.

The Air Force began replacing the three F-5E fighter jet squadrons introduced in 1974 with the FA-50 Korean Light Combat Aircraft starting in 2013. Although not all three squadrons, the Air Force is currently storing about 20 retired F-5E aircraft that are still flyable, and parts have been extracted from aircraft that have reached the end of their service life to supply operational squadrons. Additionally, the operation of one more squadron's aircraft is planned to be discontinued between 2022 and 2023.

Globally, the number of countries operating the F-5E/F fighter jets sharply declined in the 2010s, with the air forces of Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia ceasing operations, reducing frontline operators to 12 countries. Among these, Bahrain and Tunisia have decided to phase out their F-5s after introducing the F-16V Viper fighters, and the Taiwan Air Force also plans to replace theirs with 66 F-16Vs.

In contrast, our Air Force is compelled to maintain about 80 F-5E/F fighter jets over the next decade, coinciding with the first batch production of the KF-X fighter starting in 2026. In the second half of 2019, American companies inquired with the Air Force about the possibility of purchasing retired F-5E aircraft for parts recycling and resale.

Recently, it has been reported that Air USA, a U.S. adversary air training contractor, has expressed interest in purchasing. Air USA previously acquired 13 retired Hawk trainers from the Air Force in 2013 and has most recently introduced and operated MiG-29 fighters. They have announced plans to operate F-5E/F fighters as part of their fleet.

In fact, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps adversary air training squadrons operate 50 F-5E/F fighters, so the destination for the approximately 20 F-5Es currently stored by our Air Force is the United States. The export transfer is expected to take place no later than between 2022 and 2023.