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China-Japan-Koreas
U.S. Blocks Korean Trainer Jet Sale to Uzbekistan
2015-10-26
Korea may have to scrap the lucrative sale of T-50 trainer jets to Uzbekistan due to U.S. opposition.
The T-50, like most other advanced trainer jets, is also a decent light attack aircraft.
A government source on Friday said Korea Aerospace Industries had been in negotiations with the Uzbek government to sell 12 T-50s, but the U.S. government opposes the deal citing possible technology leaks and foreign-policy concerns. The deal could have netted Korea some US$400 million.

But since KAI developed the T-50 with technological support from Lockheed Martin of the U.S., and most core equipment including avionics and engine are U.S.-designed. That means Seoul needs the nod from Washington if it is to sell them overseas. Korea has already sold the T-50 to Indonesia, Iraq, the Philippines and Thailand.

But Uzbekistan is a murky dictatorship on ethnic lines and the U.S. is also worried that it could ratchet up tensions with neighboring countries if it bought the jets.
And provide the technology to the Rooshuns...
The Defense Ministry, Air Force and Defense Acquisition Program Administration were eager to export the T-50s to Uzbekistan. In May President Park Geun-hye and Uzbek President Islam Karimov discussed the issue during a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, and in April the Uzbek defense minister visited Korea and signed a memorandum of understanding on military exchanges.

At the time he also sat in a T-50 simulator.

A KAI spokesman said, "The U.S. government did not approve the exports, but Uzbekistan still wants the delivery so we will try to convince Washington."
Posted by:Steve White

#5  Without American support and parts, those T-50s become static displays in no time.
Posted by: Betty Hitler2611   2015-10-26 17:47  

#4  However, they can sell 'parts'. What assembled 'parts' look like maybe interesting.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-10-26 15:52  

#3  IIRC Uzbekistan has no great love of the Russians.
Also Russia has trouble building engines like the one in the T-50. Even with upgrades the F-16 isn't exactly the latest tech. The construction of turbine blades for super cruise engines is a tricky process. We ought to let China and Russia get a hold of a F-35 and watch them waste money trying to build them.
Posted by: Chaith Oppressor of the Lutherans1517   2015-10-26 14:07  

#2  I'm not sure. But aren't countries SUPPOSED to be based on ethnic lines?
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2015-10-26 13:57  

#1  ...An interesting thought experiment: What if the ROKs said, "Ummmm...we don't think so. We're selling the damn airplanes."

Would be worth watching to see what the Administration does, wouldn't it? Couldn't happen, though, I'm sure.

/warms up popcorn anyways

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2015-10-26 06:03  

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