Roaring Lion/Epic Fury: The Destruction of What Remained of the IRIAF

The ongoing campaign against Iran, launched on 28 February 2026, has rapidly become one of the most intense air operations in the Middle East in decades.
Two parallel names define the campaign, Israel’s Operation Roaring Lion and the United States’ Operation Epic Fury.
The stated objectives are degrade Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, cripple its ballistic missile forces, dismantle command structures of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and eliminate the regime’s ability to threaten Israel and Western forces across the region.
Yet beyond the geopolitical implications, the war has revealed something equally striking: the near-total collapse of Iranian air power.

The Air Campaign
The opening phase resembled a textbook suppression campaign. Israeli and American aircraft struck air defence systems, ballistic missile bases, nuclear facilities, naval installations and IRGC headquarters
Within the first days, the Israeli Air Force reportedly flew close to 2,000 sorties, supported by extensive aerial refuelling and long-range strike profiles exceeding 1,000 miles involving F-35I Adir, F-15I Ra'am and F-16I Sufa.

US forces reinforced the campaign with carrier aviation and long-range strike assets, including F/A-18 Super Hornet operating from the USS Abraham Lincoln, alongside F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, and F-15E Strike Eagle conducting deep strike and air dominance missions. Electronic warfare support was provided by the EA-18G Growler, while strategic strikes were reportedly carried out by B-2 Spirit and B-1B Lancer aircraft. Tanker platforms such as the KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46 Pegasus sustained the operational tempo, enabling long-range missions across the region. 

As a reault Iranian air defences collapsed across multiple regions within days.

The Silence of the IRIAF

Perhaps the most revealing element of the war has been the almost complete absence of Iranian combat sorties.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force entered the conflict with several hundred aircraft on paper. In reality, decades of sanctions and maintenance shortages meant that only a fraction were actually flyable.

By 2026, the fleet was already in critical condition. Pre-war estimates from the FlightGlobal World Air Forces 2025 report suggested an inventory of roughly 65 F-4s, about 35 F-5s, around 41 F-14s, approximately 18 MiG-29s, 21 Su-24s, 12 Mirage F1s and a small number of Yak-130 trainers. In reality, operational availability was extremely low, with fewer than 30 percent of the aircraft considered flyable due to decades of sanctions and severe maintenance limitations.

Coalition strikes focused heavily on Iranian air bases during the opening hours of the campaign, destroying aircraft on the ground before they could launch.

Aircraft believed destroyed or neutralised include the F-4 Phantom II, the F-5 Tiger II, Mirage F1, MiG-29, Chengdu J-7 and the last remaining operational Tomcats—following the US Navy's retirement in 2006—have been eliminated in the strikes against the 8th Tactical Fighter Base in Isfahan on March 7-8, 2026, marking the definitive end of this iconic platform in any active air force.

Only isolated attempts at flight have been reported.
One Yakovlev Yak-130 was reportedly shot down over Tehran by an Israeli F-35 Lightning II, potentially marking the first confirmed air-to-air victory of the aircraft in real combat.

Another incident involved Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft approaching the Gulf region. These aircraft were reportedly intercepted and shot down by the air defence network of Qatar.
Beyond these isolated events, there is no evidence of sustained Iranian fighter operations. Instead, Iran’s retaliation has relied almost entirely on ballistic missiles and large numbers of Shahed drone systems.

From Regional Air Power to Hollow Force

This collapse is striking when viewed against history.
Before the 1979 revolution, Iran possessed one of the most advanced air forces outside NATO. Backed by the United States Air Force and American industry, the Shah’s Iran fielded cutting-edge aircraft and highly trained pilots.
The revolution severed that relationship overnight.
Purges, sanctions and the loss of US logistical support crippled the force’s long-term sustainability.

Yet the story did not end there.

The Forgotten Performance: Iran–Iraq War

During the Iran–Iraq War, the Iranian Air Force performed far better than many expected.
After Iraq’s invasion in 1980, Iran launched massive counterstrikes. Operations such as Operation Kaman 99 involved more than 140 aircraft attacking Iraqi airfields and infrastructure.

Iranian pilots also carried out one of the earliest strikes against a nuclear facility in modern history. In Operation Scorch Sword, Iranian F-4 Phantom II aircraft attacked the Iraqi nuclear reactor under construction at Osirak Nuclear Reactor, months before the later Israeli strike that would destroy the site in 1981.
Later missions such as the H-3 Airstrike demonstrated remarkable operational reach.
Iranian F-14 Tomcats scored numerous victories using the long-range AIM-54 Phoenix, and Iranian pilots produced several aces.
Despite embargoes and a collapsing logistics chain, the IRIAF managed to sustain significant combat operations during the early years of the war.

2026: Aerial Reality Reduced to Drones

Four decades later, the situation is dramatically different.

The combination of ageing aircraft, lack of spare parts, degraded training pipelines and precision strikes against air bases has left the Iranian Air Force unable to contest the skies.

Air power, once one of Iran’s most formidable assets, has largely disappeared from the battlefield.

In 1980, Iranian fighters survived surprise attacks and launched hundreds of sorties.

In 2026, manned aircraft have barely managed to take off. With most of its manned aircraft grounded or destroyed, Iran has relied heavily on low-cost drones, primarily Shahed-class UAVs, for defensive and retaliatory operations. These drones have been used to: conduct limited strikes against Israeli and U.S. forces in the region; act as decoys to saturate or probe missile defenses such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Patriot systems; provide surveillance and intelligence on coalition movements; and test and maintain some deterrent effect, despite their limited payload and precision compared to manned aircraft. While they cannot replace conventional air power, drones have allowed Iran to retain a minimal but persistent aerial presence, complicating coalition operations and demonstrating asymmetric capabilities in a high-intensity conflict.

The silence of Iranian jets over Tehran may ultimately become one of the defining images of this war.

South Korea Navy Studying Operating F-35 from Dokdo Class Assault Ships

South Korea's Navy has put up a public notice of tender for a research project to explore the possibility of operating F-35B stealth aircraft aboard its amphibious landing ship, officials said Friday.
Last Friday, the Navy initiated the tender through an electronic defense procurement system of the state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration, citing moves by neighboring countries to consider running F-38Bs aboard their warships.
The project seeks to study the possible remodeling of the country's 14,000-ton Dokdo-class vessel to host the F-35B fighter, a short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the U.S.-made fifth-generation warplane. The research is set to end by Dec. 15.
Observers speculated that the Navy might seek to run the F-35B on the Marado warship that is currently under construction and slated to be deployed in 2020.
The existing Dokdo ship is seen as capable of operating only transport helicopters because its deck is not made of materials that can withstand high temperatures caused by fighter jet operations.
In 2014, Seoul decided to purchase 40 F-35A fighters for deployment from 2018 through 2021 at a cost of 7.3 trillion won (US$6.4 billion). The F-35A is the fighter's air force variant, while the F-35B and F-35C are for marines and aircraft carrier-based operations, respectively.
There has been speculation that Seoul may consider introducing several F-35Bs as it may have to purchase additional warplanes due to a shortage of warplanes that could occur in the coming years with the decommissioning of F-4s and F-5s.
Japanese media have reported that Tokyo's Maritime Self-Defense Force is considering purchasing F-35Bs for its large escort ships.
yonhapnews

Overhauled Mirage, F-5 join Iran Air Force

Experts and technical staff at Shahid Nasser Habibi air base in Northeastern Iran managed to overhaul a French-made Mirage and an F-5 fighter jet.
The overhauling operations of the French-made Mirage fighter jet took 25,000 man/hours of work, while the two-seat American-made F-5 fighter jet took 12,500 man/hours of work.
The two aircraft joined the Iranian Air Force fleet after being run through operational tests.
The most recent rejoining of overhauled fighter jets by Iranian experts was on July 25, in which IRGC military-technical experts overhauled and upgraded 10 Sukhoi SU-22 fighter jets.
Also on July 19, Iran reported the overhauling of an American-made F-14 tomcat at Shahid Babaei Airbase in Isfahan Province. The operation had taken 35,000 man/hours of work.
According to commander of Shahid Babaei Airbase, Mohammad Jafar Tak, the efforts put into the overhauling process of the grounded aircraft shows that the enemy’s attempts at imposing sanctions in a bid to undermine the country’s defense capabilities have been futile.
mehrnews

South Korea to Sign Contract on KF-X Next Week

South Korea's state arms procurement agency said Thursday it will sign a formal contract next week,around Dec. 28 on its fighter jet development project, known as KF-X.
The Defense Acquisition Procurement Administration plans to ink the deal with Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd.
South Korea hopes to produce its own fighter jet to replace the aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s by mid-2020.
Last month, KAI secured Indonesia's assurance that it will pay for 20 percent of the total cost expected to reach $15 billion.
Under the contract between the DAPA and KAI, six test planes will be manufactured by 2025.
The KF-X project received a boost from the U.S. pledge to transfer some of its jet technologies. But South Korea faces a daunting task of finding an alternative as the U.S. made it clear that four core technologies will be excluded.
Those are the active electronically scanned radar, infrared search-and-rescue system, electro-optical targeting pod and radio frequency jammer.
defense-studies

Sukhoi Su-35 To Replace Indonesian F-5 Tiger Aircraft

Indonesia has selected Russian Su-35 fighter aircraft to replace 16 F-5 Tiger aircraft.
The Ministry of Defense considered Sukhoi as a replacement for the F-5 Tiger, he said, because Air Force pilots are accustomed to flying Sukhoi.
If the deal goes through, it will be the first export of the Sukhoi Su-35 outside of Russia. China too is reported to be negotiating to buy the aircraft.

Taiwan Launches Ambitious Plans For New Weapons In All Fronts, Cleared to Buy C-27J

China's steady acquisition of advanced weaponry has driven ambitious Taiwanese requirements, including plans to procure stealth fighters, advanced jet trainers, long-range unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and main battle tanks.
Some requirements are awaiting sale notification to the US Congress or are still working through the Ministry of National Defense's internal programming process. Those include:
• MH-60R naval helicopters.
• Aircraft-deployed mines, such as the Quickstrike series.
• Shipboard electronic warfare system upgrades, such as the SLQ-32.
• Phalanx close-in weapon systems.
• Tactical datalink systems as part of a follow-on to the Po Sheng C4ISR upgrade program, now more commonly referred to as "Shyun An" or "Xun An."

Among the Chinese programs spurring Taiwan's response are Su-35 fighter aircraft and long-range S-400 surface-to-air missile systems. Chinese efforts in the South China Sea have also driven requirements for more ships and submarines, though these will be largely indigenous build programs.
Defense sources indicate Taiwan is interested in acquiring an additional AH-64E Apache attack helicopter, presumably as replacement for the unit lost in a training accident in 2014.
Taiwan needs to start replacing its fighter trainers in the next few years, but the Air Force has not announced a selection process for new trainers to replace aging F-5 fighters and AT-3 attack trainers, though plans for a tentative budget have been announced by Air Force officials for 2017.
The Air Force uses its F-5E/F fighters and AT-3 jet trainers for training before moving forward to one of three fighters: F-16A/Bs, Mirage 2000-5s or indigenous defense fighters.
The Air Force has said it wants to procure 68 advanced jet trainers for advanced training, lead-in and operations transitioning training, Shih said.
At present, there are three candidates: the US Air Force's T-X program, which is still under development; the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master; and the T-50 Golden Eagle built by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin.
Taiwan's Air Force also has a requirement to replace aging single-engine propeller-driven Beechcraft T-34C Turbo Mentor trainers procured from the US in the 1980s. The T-34 squadron has suffered numerous fatal accidents over the past several years. The Beechcraft AT-6 is the most likely candidate.
Taiwan also has been pursuing a procurement for six C­27J Spartan medium-transport aircraft, along with an indigenous training and maintenance package, to replace the Air Force's Fokker 50 VIP aircraft. The US government has released the C-27J for Taiwan, but the Air Force is awaiting financing, which has been hampered by the cost of recent upgrades to its indigenous defense fighters and upcoming upgrades to its F-16A/B fighter fleet.
defensenews

Switzerland to relaunch F-5 replacement effort in 2017

Switzerland is to relaunch its efforts to procure a new fighter type following the recent announcement by the Federal Department of Defence, that it is prematurely retiring a third of the ageing Northrop F-5E Tiger II fleet due to cracking.
The cracking in 16 of the country's 32 serviceable F-5Es (10 of which will be retired and 6 repaired and returned to service) coupled with the relatively small number of Boeing F/A-18 Hornets in service had left the air force in a 'critical' position. Once the retirements and repairs were complete, the country would be left with just 22 F-5E and 32 F/A-18C/D frontline fighters.
This state of affairs has been compounded by the Swiss population's decision in May 2014 to reject a deal to procure 22 Saab Gripen E jets to replace the F-5s and augment the F/A-18s. Under that proposal, the Swiss Air Force was to receive a number of Gripen C/D fighters in 2016 ahead of the start of Gripen E deliveries in 2018. The F-5s were to be phased out from 2016, with deliveries of the Gripen E running through to 2021.
According to the government, the new process should include two of the three shortlisted candidates from the previous effort; namely, the Gripen E and the Dassault Rafale (the Eurofighter Typhoon is no longer considered a 'favourite', the RTS report said). It added that 'a US aircraft', most likely the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, should also be included.
When the F-5 replacement programme was launched in 2007, Saab submitted its Gripen C/D, Boeing its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault its Rafale, and Eurofighter its Typhoon. Less than a year later in 2008, Boeing dropped out of the competition citing differences between the requirements and the Super Hornet's capabilities.
The competition stalled in 2010, but was resurrected in mid-2011 after intense lobbying by Swiss industry, with Saab then offering its Gripen NG instead. Later that year, the Gripen NG (later to become the Gripen E) was selected, only to have the deal scuppered in the referendum. This decision effectively sent the air force back to square one in its efforts to replace its ageing F-5s.
janes

Kenyan Air Force F-5 Bomb Al-Qaeda camps in Somalia

The Kenyan air force has destroyed two al Shabaab camps in Somalia, it said on Monday, in the first major military response since the Islamist group massacred students at a Kenyan university last week.
Al Shabaab denied the camps were hit, saying the air force bombs fell on farmland.
Gunmen from the al Qaeda-aligned group killed 148 people on Thursday when they stormed the Garissa University College campus, some 200 km (120 miles) from the Somali border.
Jets pounded the camps in the Gedo region on the other side of the frontier on Sunday, Kenya Defence Forces spokesman said. The mission was part of efforts to stop fighters from those camps carrying out cross-border raids into Kenya.
Our aerial images show that the camps were completely destroyed, Kenya Defence spokesman said.
reuters

KAI in Partnership with Airbus will Develop South Korea Future Fighter KF-X

KAI was picked as the preferred bidder for the South Korea's indigenous fighter jet development program Monday.
Codenamed KF-X, the project calls for South Korea to develop fighter jets of the F-16 class to replace its aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s. Some 120 jets are to be put into service starting around 2025.
KAI, in partnership with Airbus Defense and Space, vied against Seoul's top air carrier, Korean Air Lines Co., which teamed up with Lockheed Martin of the United States.
Industrial watchers say KAI has a technical edge over Korean Air based upon its experience developing the T-50 Golden Eagle.
yonhapnews

Iran begins mass production of Saeghe fighter

Iran has begun mass production of the Saeghe (Thunderbolt) indigenously developed combat aircraft, state media announced on 7 January.
Quoting an Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) spokesperson, the Fars News Agency reported that the country now has 'several squadrons' of the Northrop F-5E Tiger II-derived aircraft in operational service. Prior to the report, the IRIAF was understood to have only about three Saeghe fighters flying with the 23rd Fighter Squadron, based at Tabriz in the far northwest of the country.
First revealed in 2007, the Saeghe is essentially an F-5E (141 of which were procured by the Shah of Iran prior to the revolution in 1979, with 31 still believed to be flying) that has been modified by Hevapeimasazi (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Company: HESA).
The Saeghe's most obvious modification is the twin-fin configuration that is similar to that of the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet series of aircraft. Indeed, Iranian officials have previously said that the Saeghe's performance is comparable to the Hornet's.
While it is not known to what extent the aircraft's engines or avionics have been modified, it's understood that Russia has supplied many internal systems, and some Grumman F-14A Tomcat and MiG-29 'Fulcrum' components may also have been adapted for the jet.
It is not clear how many of the IRIAF's F-5Es will undergo the Saeghe conversion, but Iranian media has previously reported that 24 such aircraft are planned. .
With Iran being unable to procure modern fighters due to an arms embargo that has been in place since the fall of the Shah in 1979, the Islamic Republic has been forced to resort to other means to not only maintain its existing inventory of largely US aircraft types, but also to develop 'new' models such as the Saeghe.
Over recent years, Iran's leaders have heralded the development of a number of such indigenously platforms, including fighters and maritime patrol aircraft, as well as attack and utility helicopters.
In terms of fighters, besides the Saeghe the IRIAF has revealed the Simorgh (essentially an F-5A that has been converted to F-5B two-seat configuration, with some sources alluding to a total of about 13 aircraft having been modified in this fashion), and most recently the Qaher (Conqueror/Omnipotent) F-313 'stealth fighter'.
The Iranian aerospace sector has had undoubted success in reverse engineering Western technologies (most likely with Russian and Chinese assistance) in the development of such platforms, but the rollout of the F-313 in early 2013 was met with almost universal derision, with design features that showed the aircraft to be fundamentally flawed.
Even so, necessity will ensure that Iran will continue to persevere in its efforts to develop its indigenous aerospace capabilities, as evidenced by the disclosure that it has obtained a Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon from Venezuela to reverse engineer its technologies.
janes

Brazil delays A-4 aircraft upgrade programme

The Brazilian Navy will delay finalisation of its A-4BR Skyhawk upgrade programme from September 2015 to November 2017, according to a contract extension revealed at the end of November.
The first upgraded A-4 Skyhawk (known locally as AF-1/A) was originally scheduled to be delivered in 2014 and that will now shift to early 2015. The contract modification also significantly reduces the programme's value from the original USD107.5 million to USD50 million.
Embraer is the prime contractor and will upgrade 12 A-4 Skyhawks to a standard similar to the Brazilian Air Force's F-5BR programme.
janes

Indonesia’s Air Force Adds More Flankers

Indonesian Military Commander tells that they’re leaning toward the Su-35 as their F-5 replacement, with the JAS-39 in 2nd place and the F-16 a distant 3rd.
Indonesia’s turn toward Russian fighters stemmed partly from necessity. Its 12 remaining F-16A/Bs and 16 remaining F-5E/F fighters experienced severe maintenance problems external link in the wake of a US embargo, triggered by the Indonesian military’s widespread human rights abuses in East Timor. Its 30+ single-seat Hawk 209 sub-sonic light combat aircraft, derived from the trainer jets the TNI-AU also operates, were the country’s only fighter alternative.
A $192 million contract began to address that in 2003, by buying 2 SU-27SK single-seat and 2 SU-30MK twin-seat multi-role fighters from Russia. Indonesia submitted a formal request to buy 24 used F-16s in 2011, but it isn’t backing away from its high-end Flanker fleet. In fact, the TNI-AU has steadily added more. Now, they’re reaching out to their neighbors for training and support.
defenseindustrydaily

Taiwan to retire F-5, HAWK surface-to-air missile

Taiwan Defense Department will begin a new wave of organizational and restructuring which will see the Taiwanese Air Force reduce the total number of jets and some abolition of naval and air bases.
The defence ministry aims to purchase the locally-made Tien Kung 3 (Sky Bow 3) surface-to-air missile system between 2015 and 2024 to replace the ageing Hawk missile systems.
asiandefencenews

Scorpion jet pitched for Swiss air force

Textron is bidding to sell its Scorpion jets to the Swiss government at one-seventh the cost of Swedish Gripen fighter planes turned down by voters in Switzerland this month.
Acording Textron president “The Scorpion is ideally suited to Switzerland’s circumstances”, It is cheaper than the Gripen and still meets 90 percent of the tasks at hand”.
Swiss voters on May 18th shot down a deal approved by the government to buy 22 Gripen fighter jets from Saab.
The planes were to replace the Swiss air force’s fleet of 54 F-5.
Scorpion, is not a supersonic fighter and is not intended to be and is designed to be an affordable option for air forces to provide air space surveillance and intelligence.
The Swiss department of defence is not commenting on the Scorpion proposal.
thelocal.ch

Iran manages C-130 Overhauls

Iranian experts repaired and overhauled a C-130 military plane used for transporting equipment and military forces.
The overhauling operations of the plane took 23,000 man/hours of work.
The C-130 plane joined the Iranian Air Force fleet after making its maiden flight.
The Iranian Air Force announced in August that the Iranian experts managed to overhaul two mirage F-1 fighter jets.
The overhauling operations of the two fighter jets took 45,000 man/hours of work. The two aircraft joined the Iranian Air Force fleet after making their maiden flights.
Iran also announced in June that its experts are overhauling different types of aircraft, including Mig-29 and F-5 fighter jet.
In August 2012, a Mig-29 fighter jet of the Iranian Army conducted its test flight successfully after being overhauled by local experts.
The aircraft which was down for 12 years could experience its first flight after it was overhauled, which took 21,000 man/hour of work.
The Iranian experts spent 24 months to overhaul the strategic fighter jet and mounted three types of modern electronic systems onto the aircraft in a bid to increase its technical and backup capabilities.

Indonesia May Replace F-5s With Su-35s

Indonesia’s defense authority is leaning toward a plan to purchase 16 of the latest generation of Russian twin-engine Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighters to replace its F-5.
The Air Force will hold further evaluations of other fighters prior to making a final decision. Other fighters under evaluation are the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 60, Boeing’s F-15 Silent Eagle and F/A-18 Super Hornet, and the Dassault Rafale.
The adviser, however, said the Tiger replacement would not be decided in the near future, despite claims that Indonesia is ready to equip its Air Force with a squadron of new fighters.
The Indonesian Air Force operates six F-5Es and two South Korean T-50 Golden Eagle advanced supersonic trainers.
The Air Force is also equipped with 10 F-16A/Bs and a squadron of Su-27/30s.
During the first phase of the Indonesian Defense Strategic Plan, the Air Force has begun receiving 16 T-50s, with final delivery expected by the end of this year.
A final decision will be made after the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for October.
defensenews

Thailand to Launch Lead-In Fighter Programme

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) expects to launch a USD400 million programme to acquire lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) aircraft following the formation of a new Thai government.
The aircraft acquired through the LIFT programme will replace a handful of ageing Northrop F-5 trainers in service with the RTAF and eventually its fleet of Aero L-39 Albatros trainer/light attack aircraft procured in the early 1990s. The procurement programme has become pressing since the RTAF started operating a fleet of 12 JAS 39 Gripen fighters, which were delivered from 2011-2013.
janes

Indonesia Defense Ministry looking to replace aging F-5 tiger fighter aircraft

The Indonesian Defense Ministry announced its plan to replace the F-5 Tiger fighter aircraft with the latest generation of jet fighters such as the Russian Sukhoi Su-35.
The minister pointed out that they have at least 5 to 6 options of jet fighters to replace the aging F-5 Tiger fighter aircraft, which has been in service for over three decades and urged several officers to weigh all their available options to zero down upon which jet fighter meets the specifications to replace the "Tiger".
The minister hoped that the officers can arrive at a decision soon, so that the requisition plan can be included in Indonesias Strategic Plan II 2015 to 2020.
The Indonesian Air Force has conducted a study on several jet fighters such as the Russian Sukhoi Su-35, the American F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon, and the Swedish Fighter SAAB JAS 39 Gripen.
Indonesian Air Force is willing to have a squadron of 16 new jet fighters to replace the aging F-5 Tiger.
antaranews

Korea exports 24 FA-50 light attack aircraft to Iraq

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a contract to sell 24 FA-50 light attack aircraft to Iraq.
South Korea defense contractor is set to deliver the jets between October 2015 and October 2016.
Kai has sold 16 T-50 supersonic trainers to Indonesia, 40 KT-1 basic trainers to Turkey and 20 KT-1s to Peru.
In the competition, the KAI product beat BAE Systems’ Hawk-128, Russian Yakovlev’s Yak-130 and Czech aircraft producer Aero Vodochody’s L-159.
With Iraq being scheduled to import 36 F-16s from next year, the Korean light attack plane was seen as the best option to bridge the air power vacuum, while nurturing pilots.
The FA-50 was developed in Korea as a possible replacement for the Air Force’s F-5E/F when the aging fighters are retired.
KAI is set to try to continue the winning vibe in its sales pitch for other countries including the Philippines, Botswana and eventually, the United States.
In the U.S. Air Force’s trainer competition, aimed at replacing its fleet of T-38s.
The FA-50, which was first unveiled in January 2006, is a light combat version of the T-50 supersonic trainer that was co-developed with Lockheed Martin.
koreatimes

Nine Companies to Compete for Turkish Basic Trainers

Nine local and foreign companies have purchased competition dossiers from Turkey’s procurement agency, indicating their intention to bid on providing new basic trainer aircraft.
Likely bidders in the race are: GATE Elektronik San. ve Tic. A.S., Nurol Makin eve Sayani A.S., THK Uçak Imalat San.ve Tic. A.S. and Kocoglu Havacilik A.S.; Austria’s Diamond Aircraft Industries; Czech Republic’s ZLIN Aircraft; Germany’s Grob Aircraft; Pakistan’s Aeronautical Complex Board; and the US Discovery Aviation.
Last month, was opened new competition for the acquisition of 52 new basic trainer aircraft.
The planned screeners will replace an aging fleet of SF 260 primary trainers assembled in the early 1990s under Italian license by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).
Recently, an indigenous basic trainer aircraft that Turkey designed and developed won an initial flight certificate from local authorities. Immediately after that, on Sept. 26, Turkey’s top body that oversees procurement decisions, the Defense Industry Executive Committee, approved serial production of the Hurkus, also developed by TAI.
Military officials say that by 2017 the Turkish trainer fleet will comprise the screeners Ankara intends to buy, KT-1 trainers supplied by Korean Aerospace Industries under a 2007 contract, the Hurkus, the upgraded T-38s (T-38Ts) and the F-16s. By 2025, the fleet will have the screeners, the Hurkus, an indigenous trainer to be designed and developed for the fighter jet Turkey intends to build, the TF-X and a combination of the F-16s, TF-Xs and the F-35s.
defensenews