After signing a USD 240 million agreement with the Indonesian Ministry of Defense (MoD), Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is preparing to expand its T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer footprint by providing it with an additional 6 T-50i Golden Eagle. -Fighter Trainer (LIFT) program.
The company announced on July 20 that the transaction will take place from December 16, 2024 to October 30, and will include related logistical support. However, it is understood that the contract will only take effect after the company receives the advance payment.
The T-50 Golden Eagle is a single-engine supersonic aircraft developed by KAI for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF). With the technical support of Lockheed Martin, it focuses on the new international demand for affordable LIFT and light attack aircraft.
KAI provided 16 T-50i training aircraft to the Indonesian Air Force in May 2011, valued at approximately US$400 million, and signed a contract in November 2018 to provide radar and machine gun systems-possibly Elta EL/M-2032 Radar and General Dynamics’ M197 20mm cannon were supplied to other international T-50 operators of this type-at the same time three KT-1B Woong-Bee basic turboprop trainers were supplied, with a transaction value of approximately US$89 million.
However, one of the aircraft crashed during the aerial display in December 2015, while the other aircraft skidded off the runway and suffered catastrophic damage when it took off for a training mission in August 2020.
At the same time, the Ministry of Defense has begun to seek foreign loans to fund the purchase of six other aircraft. According to local media reports, after discussions with the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of National Development Planning, the Ministry of Finance has approved the preliminary authorization.
It is believed that Jakarta will also withdraw the down payment for the new aircraft from its 2022 defense budget, and the rest will be paid using foreign loans.
Elsewhere, it is reported that Thailand has also purchased two other T-50TH advanced jet trainers, increasing the jet trainer fleet it has introduced to 14. This move is expected to enable the Royal Thai Air Force to phase out its Czech-made Aero Vodochody L-39ZA training aircraft fleet.
In addition to Indonesia and Thailand, the Philippine Air Force is also another operator that has purchased 12 FA-50PH aircraft.
Xiao Wu
