Air Force Accelerates F-X Phase 2 Project

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The Air Force has decided to expedite the second phase of the next-generation fighter (F-X) project. This is to shorten the retirement period of the F-4 and F-5 fighters, which have exceeded their service life, by 3 to 5 years.

According to the Korea Defense and Security Forum (KODEF) on the 4th, Major General Choi Chun-song, Chief of the Air Force Headquarters Planning and Management Staff, announced at the 'Air Force Power Development Direction Seminar' co-hosted by Assemblyman Kim Byung-joo (Democratic Party) and Assemblyman Shin Won-sik (People Power Party) at the National Assembly Members' Office Building that additional acquisition of F-35A, FA-50, and KF-21 fighter jets will advance the retirement of aging fighters by up to 3 to 5 years.

The F-4 and F-5, introduced between 1977 and 1986, have been frequently involved in accidents due to aging, which has also negatively affected the morale of Air Force pilots. Among the 37 Air Force aircraft crashes since 2000, 19 cases, accounting for 51.4%, involved these models.

Major General Choi analyzed that by promptly advancing the delayed second phase of the F-X project, which was postponed due to the priority decision in June 2020 to develop carrier-based fighters, and by increasing the production of FA-50 fighters and the initial production volume of KF-21 fighters to secure a total of 60 units, the retirement period of aging fighters can be shortened compared to the existing plan.

Meanwhile, Major General Choi proposed the following directions for the development of North Korea nuclear and missile response systems: ▲ strengthening surveillance capabilities through additional deployment of ballistic missile early warning radars and securing microsatellite systems and early warning satellites ▲ enhancing ballistic missile interception capabilities by developing Medium-range Surface-to-Air Guided Missile (M-SAM) III, Long-range Surface-to-Air Guided Missile (L-SAM) II, and introducing THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) systems.

The seminar hosted by KODEF on the same day included presentations by Lee Kwang-yeol, Executive Director of Hanwha Systems; JR McDonald, Vice President of Lockheed Martin; Cho Hae-young, Director of Korea Aerospace Industries; and Kook Chan-ho, Head of Research and Development at LIG Nex1.