South Korea to create new F-50 combat aircraft to replace outdated Sukhoi and MiG

South Korean company Korea Aerospace Industries has set a goal to cover at least 50% of the global market for single-seat light combat aircraft with its future F-50 development.

Here's What We Know

It is noted that work on this aircraft will begin in 2024 and end in 2028. In total, KAI plans to sell at least 300 units of the F-50. They hope the model will be popular, as the previous version of the F-50 combat trainer had a successful export history.

This strategy is needed to replace older models, such as the Sukhoi and MiG, which are still in use in many countries.

It is currently known that the F-50 combat aircraft will have an identical appearance to the FA-50, but with an additional fuel tank and refuelling boom. It is worth noting that the South Korean Ministry of Defence has not paid sufficient attention to the F-50, as the development of the fifth generation KF-21 fighter is currently more important.

Therefore, KAI plans to focus on exporting the F-50 and hopes that the first buyer will be Malaysia, which has already purchased the FA-50 and considers it a potential replacement for the main Su-30. In general, the Koreans want to involve in their programme countries that are looking for a replacement for outdated Soviet MiG and Su aircraft, as well as those that operate old Western F-5 and A-4 models.

Flashback

The FA-50 is a multi-role fighter that can reach speeds of up to 1,650 km/h. It has outboard mounts for a variety of missiles and bombs, including the AIM-9 Sidewinder and AGM-65 Maverick. The FA-50 is also designed for pilot training and combat operations. Thanks to its advanced avionics, it is capable of performing air-to-air combat, ground support operations and attacks on air and ground targets.

Source: Scramble.ln