South Korean KAI KF-X fighter

KF-X will not be a truly indigenous Korean fighter

The Koreans are hoping the Europeans will transfer their Eurofighter technologies to enable Korea to build the KF-X. It is ridiculous to characterize it as an indigenous Korean effort.

Similarly, the Swedish Saab Viggen fighter was not an indigenous accomplishment. It was built with American technology (see first citation below).

Last, but not least, Taiwan's FCK-1 fighter also was not indigenous. It was built with American technology via Allied Signal (see second citation below).

It is a myth that small- or medium-sized countries can develop an advanced fourth-generation jet fighter on their own. It's too expensive and the broad range of technologies (e.g. especially the engine) are beyond their reach.

There are only five countries in the world that truly build their own fighter jets. All five of them are sitting on the U.N. Security Council. Everyone else relies on their technologies. That is the reality.

References:



"The Saab 37 Viggen was a medium range fighter and attack aircraft, ... Designed with technological aid from the United States, the Saab Viggen featured a delta wing ... which provided access to advanced American aeronautical technology. ..."



"Jun 4, 2007 – Development history of Taiwan's Indigenous Defensive Fighter (IDF) ... Corporation (ITEC), a joint venture between AIDC and Allied Signal. ..."

Koreans have built KF-16, F-15, and AH-64 and a full gamut of indigenous military industry, there might be even stuffs that they know the Chinese don't

you really belong in the ignore list Martian, but i think it is more fun to watch (not read) your posts

branding every other nation as useless and their aerospace efforts subpar

Definition of non-indigenous

paintgun said:

Koreans have built KF-16, F-15, and AH-64 and a full gamut of indigenous military industry, there might be even stuffs that they know the Chinese don't

you really belong in the ignore list Martian, but i think it is more fun to watch (not read) your posts

branding every other nation as useless and their aerospace efforts subpar

Click to expand...

When you license-build someone else's aircraft, it's called someone else's technology. It's not Korean. None of it is.

it does not matter, what matter is how the KF-X progressing along and Korean efforts on it

this is the point of this thread

you have just proved yourself pointless

Let me repeat my comment with emphasis.

"Silent Falcon? Underwhelmed, but not surprised. That had always been the design goal.

Also, from finalised concept to mass production in 9 years, with a full suite of weapons and sensored to be developed? Good luck!"

A squadron of prototype flying with years of system integration work to go, possible.

Mass production is unlikely.

Very hard to comment on developmental costs, but creative accounting almost guaranteed and past experience suggests not unlikely.

Can we please have a calm and rational discussion rather than what amounts to 'CAN NOT' and 'CAN TOO'?

the design requirement have been switched from 4.5th generation to 5th generation and back to 4.5th generation

the latest has been a medium weight fighter with capabilities above F-16 and below F-35, how ambiguous or certain that statement is up to anyone's perception

in my view, they are looking for a Hornet/EF/Rafale equivalent(twin engine and similar weight) with LO touches(weapon bays, LPI radar, etc)
other than that technical requirement, affordability has been mentioned many times as well

lets just say South Korea is looking to have their own version of Rafale and the indigenous capability to build it within 2020

A squadron of prototype flying with years of system integration work to go, possible.

Click to expand...

oh yes certainly this at 2020

I like the debate so far in this thread. I have a question to you guys. Do you think the South Korean KF-X are design to penetrate DPRK radar systems and SAM systems? I mean in case of a possible major conflict, the KF-X could serve as a supporter to knock out any North Korean land and air defense system.

It sounds as if they got a bit ambitious in the middle and then got hit with the reality stick, which is wise of them. Still, if you've seen the video they have this unusual bombbay arrangement under the air-intake that would suggest capability closer to 5 than 4.5.

But so much of that depends on engine and avionic suite which is more or less impossible to determine now and very likely impossible for KAI to know at this moment that it's rather fruitless to debate the point whether it's 4.5 or.75 or .91 or whatever.

We'll leave the arbitrary number games and sweeping generalised extrapolation to parties unnamed which may or may not have invaded Earth in the past.

the ROKAF is more than able to handle the North

the KF-X is the next forward step for their home military aerospace industry
how KF-X will influence ROKAF capability and force structure in the future is still very sketchy, they are still on a ongoing procurement with F-35 in the bag and more F-15K, KF-X details are also speculative at best

there are also voices saying that the KF-X is intended for China, of which i see unlikely, if anything China will see a shooting war with Japan first rather than with S.Korea

Who knows. At the moment I think ROKAF wouldn't have a hard time taking out DPRK air defences, the challenge is there is so many, and that they have so many artillery pieces (?)
This project has gone from a 5th gen fighter, to 4+, to 5th gen again. I'm sure they'll come out with a decent fighter; whether it can be on budget and on time is another matter. Also I wonder what kind of supercruise, weapons bay capabilities it will have, if any at all for the former.

One thing's for sure, the skies over east asia are only gonna get more crowded in coming years.

If it is for a shooting war with china, it shouldn't change the dynamic too much given the US will most likely be involved in such a conflict as well, bringing with them their F-22s and 35s. A few KFX ain't gonna change the equation much.