[Defense Commentary] For the New Future of the FA-50

For those who experienced the cheers of the 2002 World Cup and the historic achievement of reaching the semifinals, it remains an unforgettable and precious memory even after 20 years. Two months after the World Cup ended, the first flight of the T-50 advanced trainer took place in Sacheon, Gyeongnam. At that time, I was in charge of managing the landing gear project, and witnessing the T-50 aircraft land safely and the test pilot disembark on site, I still cannot forget the tears of joy shed with my colleagues who participated in the development. Since then, the T-50 advanced trainer has been successfully developed through the relentless efforts and dedication of the government and companies, expanded into the FA-50 attack aircraft, and now serves as a representative aircraft of the Republic of Korea, with over 200 aircraft operated worldwide, including by our Air Force.

Behind the development of the T-50 lies the technology transfer necessary for aircraft development through the offset trade of the KF-16 acquisition, an innovative and bold decision at the time for company-led development, and the fierce struggles of those who shared development costs and participated in the project. This has led to the proud and great legacy of Korean aviation, culminating in the development of the KF-21 Korean fighter. Recently, as the tragic accident of the aging F-5 fighter was announced as being caused by aircraft aging, attention has once again focused on the FA-50 aircraft. The FA-50 is an attack aircraft expanded from the T-50 and is currently operated by the Republic of Korea Air Force as well as the air forces of the Philippines and Iraq. The Redback armored vehicle, a strong candidate for Australia's next-generation armored vehicle acquisition project awaiting final selection, was developed based on the existing K-21 infantry fighting vehicle. The French Rafale fighter, proposed as a candidate for our Air Force’s next fighter project in the early 2000s, continues to receive performance upgrades and has recently been exported to countries such as India and Greece. Enhancing performance and expanding operational capabilities by utilizing existing platforms is one of the market entry strategies, and the accompanying added value is also significant.

Fortunately, research on FA-50 performance upgrades has been underway for several years through the introduction of preliminary concept studies, and companies are simultaneously investing their own resources to improve armament operations with export considerations. Especially, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern countries, which are major export targets, face the practical challenge of needing to completely replace certain national equipment on the FA-50 due to their domestic policies, thus requiring alternative solutions. Moreover, considering both domestic and export markets, it is essential to thoroughly review whether FA-50 performance upgrades can meet the diverse demands of our Air Force and export target countries, keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies, and secure sufficient resources and competitiveness. This will also determine whether a virtuous cycle of growth can be brought to the domestic defense industry. However, due to the nature of the defense industry, launching various models and products in rapid cycles realistically faces limitations of economies of scale, and the aspects linked to financial investment and development risks are difficult for any management to easily decide at the decision-making stage. In particular, export projects are relatively uncertain compared to the definite demand of the domestic market and require long-term commitment, making bold investments challenging.

To address this, active strategic alliances between aircraft system companies and partner companies should be encouraged to secure economies of scale based on domestic and export volumes, thereby attracting active investment and expanding scope through mutual joint marketing. Especially in the Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian markets, export synergy effects through close collaboration based on sufficient business experience of domestic defense companies are fully possible. At the government level, various tasks such as core component localization and export-linked localization are being pursued through research funding support projects. It would be strategic to also discover research funding support projects that can reflect integration connectivity and strategic alliances with system companies from the perspective of aircraft system integration. Additionally, securing necessary resources from overseas companies through offset trade and industrial cooperation should be considered. The French Dassault Rafale fighter is equipped with radar and avionics from France’s Thales, and the close cooperation and joint marketing efforts between the two companies for continuous growth and market expansion offer significant implications for us.

The FA-50 must prepare for a new future. At its core lies the challenge of the U.S. Advanced Tactical Trainer (ATT) project, and simultaneously, it must pioneer new markets worldwide. The aircraft that we built and that began its first flight 20 years ago will now become a global centerpiece and a catalyst for the Korea-U.S. alliance, taking on a new role. We look forward to the FA-50’s remarkable resurgence.

Associate Professor Lee Jungon, Department of Defense Business, Graduate School of Industry, Konkuk University