South Korea to order additional TA-50 trainer/light attack aircraft

South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) has announced programmes to procure additional TA-50 trainer/light attack aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and expand the production of a locally developed military communications system.
In a press release published on 26 September the MND said the procurement of the TA-50 – a derivative of KAI’s T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer – was necessary to meet expanding air-combat training requirements. The MND said it plans to acquire the aircraft from 2019 but did not disclose the number of platforms it intends to procure.
It added that the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) trainer aircraft requirements were expected to increase significantly in the future due to the requirement to replace ageing Northrop F-5F trainers and the induction of frontline combat platforms including the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft and the proposed Korean Fighter Experimental (KFX) aircraft.
The RoKAF is scheduled to take delivery of the first of 40 on-order F-35 fighters from 2018, while the KFX, which is under development, is expected to enter service from around 2026.
janes

Indonesia's KFX fighter remains paper jet fighter

Indonesia’s dream of operating a fleet of sophisticated jet fighters it helps build will not come true anytime soon. Under the new administration, South Korea has postponed the joint project to develop KFX/IFX jet fighters.

The project was initiated on March 9, 2009, after the governments of Indonesia and South Korea signed a letter of intent. At least US$5 billion was to be spent over 10 years on this project. Indonesia was to cover only 20 percent of the cost, while the rest was to be paid by South Korea. Although only contributing 20 percent of the cost, Indonesia is committed to being involved in any single process including technology development phase (TDP), engineering and manufacturing development phase, joint production and marketing.
thejakartapost

EADS Offers to Invest $2Billion if Korea Buys Eurofighter

Following Eurofighter’s promise to assemble 53 Eurofighters in Korea if the aircraft is selected as Korea’s next generation fighter, global aerospace company EADS said that it will “invest $2 billion and its technology in the KF-X to help Korea to become a fighter jet producer.”

defencetalk

Indonesia, South Korea to build fighters

Indonesia and South Korea are cooperating in building a joint fighter but politics are delaying progress.
The project will produce the KFX/IFX fighter, which is called a "4.5-generation" combatant aircraft, as opposed to the U.S. Lockheed Martin fifth-generation stealth Lightning-II F-35 fighter.
The KFX/IFX' s fighter's abilities are designed to be more advanced than the U.S.-built Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon jet aircraft. The KFX/IFX fighter jets will eventually be designated the F-33, with a capability slightly below the F-35.
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