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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| S. Korea seeking early purchase of stealth jets |
| 2011-01-30 |
| SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is moving to introduce the fifth generation of stealth fighter jets at an early date to replace its aging Air Force fighters and to secure capabilities to counter North Korea's increasing provocations, government sources said Sunday. The move comes after the parliament cut the defense ministry's request for some 15.7 billion won (US$14 million) to launch a new fighter jet procurement program this year, granting only 300 million won. "There is a growing consensus within the government that the next-generation fighter program must be launched at an early date," a government source said. "There is only a 300 million won fund for research this year, but (the government) may allocate additional funds from its defense budget if necessary." South Korea purchased 60 F-15K fighter jets from U.S. manufacturer Boeing under an earlier program, known as FX II, and is set to have some of the remaining 20 aircraft from the program delivered before the end of next year. The government now seeks to introduce and weaponize new stealth fighters before the target year. "There has been a call for the military's increased capabilities for precision strikes since North Korea's provocations in the northwestern region last year," a government source said. "And this has also led to a growing voice in the government to speed up the next fighter jet program." The new fighter jet program is expected to be worth some 10 trillion won ($8.97 billion). Possible candidates for jets include Boeing's F-15SE and Lockheed Martin's F-35, sources said. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #13 IIUC PRAVDA ARTIC = claims that the US [also read, Modern Mil Powers] is contributing to Environ-harmful/destroying GLOBAL WARMING + CLIMATE CHANGE unless the US = USAF [+ USN]UPGRADES ITS COLD WAR TACAIR FLEET TO NEXT-GENERATION STEALTH LEVEL [F35, F-22, or better]. * ION NE ASIA, PEOPLES DAILY FORUM > JAPAN REJECTS MEETING OVER DISPUTED ISLANDS WID RUSSA. Russia-proposed Russo-Nippon confab on bilateral econ cooper + dev of former Japanese Kuriles = Japanese "Northern Territories". HMMMMM, HMMMMMM, .....my nose is twitching as per covert Russo-Nippon intentions + possible theater consequences for RISING CHINA. Espec given .... * SAME > LOCAL OFFICIALS DENY PLAN FOR SUPER-MERGE OF CITIES IN SOUTHERN CHINA [Guangzhou megalopolis = CHINA-TAIWAN-PHIL-VIETNAM South China Sea Super FTZ-SEZ]??? But BEIJING = CPC says ... ...? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2011-01-30 21:16 |
| #12 So why does SKor need stealth fighters to go against NKor's fleet of aging MiGs and inexperienced pilots? Perhaps they are thinking about flying against someone else? China has a pretty big air force. The South Koreans will need a qualitative edge to prevail against the PLAAF. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2011-01-30 19:17 |
| #11 UAVs need controllers with lots of hours of gaming experience. I thought young Koreans spent all their time studying. Snarky, snarky. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-01-30 15:44 |
| #10 The Bluffer's Guide To Fortress North Korea. Interesting stuff. Sheds quite a bit of light on the whole situation. Thanks, guys! Doncha just love Rantburg U? |
| Posted by: SteveS 2011-01-30 14:48 |
| #9 Wouldn't they be better off buying hoards of X-45..X-47 sort of UAVs? Perhaps they should contact the Israelis. I have the impression American UAV manufacturers are going flat out just to supply our own needs. Besides, UAVs need controllers with lots of hours of gaming experience. I thought young Koreans spent all their time studying. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2011-01-30 14:26 |
| #8 The way this thing's going, they'd be better off buying a shitload of P-51s... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2011-01-30 13:43 |
| #7 I dunno, but the type of F-35 they'd be buying, the A model, is a lot further along than the model that's behind but driving the price up. And a lot further along than the X-4x UAV prototypes that are flying. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2011-01-30 13:37 |
| #6 Wouldn't they be better off buying hoards of X-45..X-47 sort of UAVs? |
| Posted by: Water Modem 2011-01-30 13:09 |
| #5 You're referring to The Bluffer's Guide To Fortress North Korea. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2011-01-30 12:58 |
| #4 So why does SKor need stealth fighters to go against NKor's fleet of aging MiGs and inexperienced pilots? If you're going after them in NorK territory (think 'escort duty'), it helps. Do a search for 'North Korean defenses'. There's one discussion group (whose name I forgot) where one submitter put up maps made by him, using intel gleaned from multiple sources. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2011-01-30 11:53 |
| #3 I think you're both right: having the F35 (and Korea has serious money to spend if they really want to, so it's NOT beyond their budget) would certainly provide a safety margin. It would also worry the Chinese, which in the grand scheme of things might be a subtle way of reminding them who is BMOC on the peninsula. But there's another potential reason, and one I think is key: the F35, and perhaps the F15SE, allows the ROK Air Force to take out selected Nork nuclear/political/government sites if needed at the opening of, or just before the opening of, a real shooting war. A defanged Kimmie is less dangerous, a dead Kimmie even less so. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2011-01-30 10:47 |
| #2 Steve, The ROK would like a stealth capability for two reasons: first, 'just-to-be-on-the-safe-side" when it comes to the nutcases up north. Second, to put a seed of doubt in anybody else's mind. The -35 (IF it even enters production) will probably be beyond the ROKs budget - the -15SE isn't truly stealthy, but it's stealthy enough to complicate the hell out of the local air defense equations. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2011-01-30 09:55 |
| #1 So why does SKor need stealth fighters to go against NKor's fleet of aging MiGs and inexperienced pilots? Perhaps they are thinking about flying against someone else? |
| Posted by: SteveS 2011-01-30 02:08 |