Article

2011-01-30 China-Japan-Koreas

S. Korea seeking early purchase of stealth jets

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Posted by Steve White 2011-01-30 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 02:08|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 09:55|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 10:47|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 11:53|| Front Page Top

#5 You're referring to The Bluffer's Guide To Fortress North Korea.

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2011-01-30 12:58|| 2011-01-30 12:58|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 13:09|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 13:37|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 13:43|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 14:26|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 14:48|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 15:44|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 19:17|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2011-01-30 21:16|| Front Page Top

00:00 chris
23:06 Gerthudion Unump7993
23:00 JosephMendiola
22:57 JosephMendiola
22:47 Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division
22:33 Gloluger Dark Lord of the Chinese3197
22:09 One Eyed Omease2378
21:59 JosephMendiola
21:51 Nimble Spemble
21:50 Cheans Oppressor of the Veal Cutlets9081
21:34 JosephMendiola
21:31 JosephMendiola
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21:16 JosephMendiola
21:06 phil_b
20:59 Frank G
20:57 phil_b
20:55 Pappy
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20:48 Pappy
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20:09 Frank G
19:56 crosspatch