S. Korea Says Fighter Bid Evaluations Begin Next Week

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea will soon start evaluating bids from U.S. and European firms in competition to win a $7.3 billion contract for 60 advanced fighter planes, the country’s arms procurement agency said July 5.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said 15 experts would review the bids from July 9-14 before Air Force evaluators conduct flight tests.
Boeing (F-15 Silent Eagle), Lockheed Martin (F-35 Lightning II) and Eurofighter (Typhoon) have submitted renewed bids for a deal worth nearly 8.3 trillion won ($7.3 billion), it said.
The state agency had set an initial June 18 deadline for bids. The three firms tendered their offers, but the agency reopened bidding, cited errors in relevant documents

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S. Korea to build navy base on frontline island

Kin of slain S. Korean sailors seek compensation: reportSeoul (AFP) June 26, 2012 - Families of South Korean sailors killed in a battle with North Korea in 2002 are suing the South's former military leaders for alleged negligence, a report said Tuesday.
The battle erupted on June 29, 2002, when two of the North's patrol boats crossed the disputed Yellow Sea border. Six South Korean sailors were killed and 18 injured while an estimated 13 North Koreans died.
Twelve family members and surviving sailors have filed suit seeking up to 630 million won ($544,000) each in compensation from 12 former military leaders including then-defence minister Kim Dong-Shin, Yonhap news agency said.
They accuse them of failing to swiftly deliver military intelligence to frontline units.
The plaintiffs say Kim and others had detected unusual movements by the North's military through monitoring communications but failed to relay such information accurately to field units, according to Yonhap.
The agency quoted legal industry sources for its information. The defence ministry declined to comment, calling it a private matter.
The western maritime border also saw bloody clashes between surface ships in 1999 and 2009.
In 2010 Seoul accused its neighbour of torpedoing a warship near the border on March 26 with the loss of 46 lives.
The North denied responsibility for the sinking but shelled a South Korean border island in November 2010, killing four people.

South Korea's navy is to build an advance base on a frontline island to bolster defences near the disputed Yellow Sea border with North Korea, officials said Tuesday.
The navy has been given local government approval to reclaim 23,489 square metres (250,000 square feet) at Baengnyeong island to build the base, said an official at Incheon city, west of Seoul, which oversees the islands.
The defence ministry said the navy would build a dock for small warships but declined to give details.
Yonhap news agency said the new base would include barracks and a training ground and accommodate about 100 troops. It would be completed by the end of 2014 at a cost of 42.5 billion won ($36.6 million).
Baengnyeong is one of five South Korean islands near the boundary drawn by United Nations forces after the 1950-53 war. Pyongyang refuses to accept the line and insists it should be moved southwards.
The border was the scene of deadly naval clashes in 1999, 2002 and 2009. In November 2010 the North shelled one of the five islands, Yeonpyeong, and killed four South Koreans including two civilians.
The South has since strengthened manpower and weaponry on the islands to forestall any fresh attack. North Korea has reportedly completed a base for troop-carrying hovercraft at Koampo, 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of Baengnyeong.

Source :AFP

S. Korea to build navy base on frontline island

Kin of slain S. Korean sailors seek compensation: reportSeoul (AFP) June 26, 2012 - Families of South Korean sailors killed in a battle with North Korea in 2002 are suing the South's former military leaders for alleged negligence, a report said Tuesday.
The battle erupted on June 29, 2002, when two of the North's patrol boats crossed the disputed Yellow Sea border. Six South Korean sailors were killed and 18 injured while an estimated 13 North Koreans died.
Twelve family members and surviving sailors have filed suit seeking up to 630 million won ($544,000) each in compensation from 12 former military leaders including then-defence minister Kim Dong-Shin, Yonhap news agency said.
They accuse them of failing to swiftly deliver military intelligence to frontline units.
The plaintiffs say Kim and others had detected unusual movements by the North's military through monitoring communications but failed to relay such information accurately to field units, according to Yonhap.
The agency quoted legal industry sources for its information. The defence ministry declined to comment, calling it a private matter.
The western maritime border also saw bloody clashes between surface ships in 1999 and 2009.
In 2010 Seoul accused its neighbour of torpedoing a warship near the border on March 26 with the loss of 46 lives.
The North denied responsibility for the sinking but shelled a South Korean border island in November 2010, killing four people.

South Korea's navy is to build an advance base on a frontline island to bolster defences near the disputed Yellow Sea border with North Korea, officials said Tuesday.
The navy has been given local government approval to reclaim 23,489 square metres (250,000 square feet) at Baengnyeong island to build the base, said an official at Incheon city, west of Seoul, which oversees the islands.
The defence ministry said the navy would build a dock for small warships but declined to give details.
Yonhap news agency said the new base would include barracks and a training ground and accommodate about 100 troops. It would be completed by the end of 2014 at a cost of 42.5 billion won ($36.6 million).
Baengnyeong is one of five South Korean islands near the boundary drawn by United Nations forces after the 1950-53 war. Pyongyang refuses to accept the line and insists it should be moved southwards.
The border was the scene of deadly naval clashes in 1999, 2002 and 2009. In November 2010 the North shelled one of the five islands, Yeonpyeong, and killed four South Koreans including two civilians.
The South has since strengthened manpower and weaponry on the islands to forestall any fresh attack. North Korea has reportedly completed a base for troop-carrying hovercraft at Koampo, 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of Baengnyeong.

Source :AFP

S. Korea, Japan To Sign First Military Accord

SEOUL — South Korea will soon sign a military agreement with Japan, officials said June 27, in what would be the first such pact since Tokyo’s colonial rule ended in 1945.
The pact calls for sharing intelligence about North Korea and its nuclear and missile programs, among other topics, the Yonhap news agency said, citing an unnamed foreign ministry source.
It said the North’s long-range missile launch in April and its other military threats had highlighted the need to swap information.
A Seoul foreign ministry spokesman told AFP the agreement covers the “protection of classified information” and would be signed as soon as the two countries complete domestic procedures.
Citing lingering anti-Japan hostility, South Korea last month suspended the signing of the agreement, and of another military accord on sharing logistics and cooperation in peacekeeping.
Seoul decided to go ahead with the intelligence agreement while shelving the more sensitive logistics accord, which could allow Japan’s troops to enter the South’s territory in times of crisis, Yonhap said.
“The two governments will officially sign the deal as early as this week, or sometime next week at the latest,” it quoted a government source as saying, adding that Seoul’s cabinet approved the move June 26.
A Japanese foreign ministry official in Tokyo said the intention was to sign it “at the earliest possible time.”
Many older Koreans have bitter memories of Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule, and historical disputes still mar the relationship.
The two countries wrangle over ownership of rocky islets in the Sea of Japan (East Sea). And Tokyo has rejected talks on compensating Korean women used by Japan as military sex slaves during World War II.
But South Korea needs the pact “because we have to use Japan’s intelligence assets, including its spy satellites and high-end surveillance aircraft,” said the South Korean official quoted by Yonhap.
“It is an undeniable fact that the existence of Japan is important for our national security,” the official said, citing the presence of U.S. forces in Japan, as well as in South Korea.
The military intelligence pact is also needed to cope with China’s rise, the official told Yonhap.

Source :

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

S. Korea, Japan To Sign First Military Accord

SEOUL — South Korea will soon sign a military agreement with Japan, officials said June 27, in what would be the first such pact since Tokyo’s colonial rule ended in 1945.
The pact calls for sharing intelligence about North Korea and its nuclear and missile programs, among other topics, the Yonhap news agency said, citing an unnamed foreign ministry source.
It said the North’s long-range missile launch in April and its other military threats had highlighted the need to swap information.
A Seoul foreign ministry spokesman told AFP the agreement covers the “protection of classified information” and would be signed as soon as the two countries complete domestic procedures.
Citing lingering anti-Japan hostility, South Korea last month suspended the signing of the agreement, and of another military accord on sharing logistics and cooperation in peacekeeping.
Seoul decided to go ahead with the intelligence agreement while shelving the more sensitive logistics accord, which could allow Japan’s troops to enter the South’s territory in times of crisis, Yonhap said.
“The two governments will officially sign the deal as early as this week, or sometime next week at the latest,” it quoted a government source as saying, adding that Seoul’s cabinet approved the move June 26.
A Japanese foreign ministry official in Tokyo said the intention was to sign it “at the earliest possible time.”
Many older Koreans have bitter memories of Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule, and historical disputes still mar the relationship.
The two countries wrangle over ownership of rocky islets in the Sea of Japan (East Sea). And Tokyo has rejected talks on compensating Korean women used by Japan as military sex slaves during World War II.
But South Korea needs the pact “because we have to use Japan’s intelligence assets, including its spy satellites and high-end surveillance aircraft,” said the South Korean official quoted by Yonhap.
“It is an undeniable fact that the existence of Japan is important for our national security,” the official said, citing the presence of U.S. forces in Japan, as well as in South Korea.
The military intelligence pact is also needed to cope with China’s rise, the official told Yonhap.

Source :

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Rolls-Royce to power new frigate for the Republic of Korea Navy

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has been selected to supply its MT30 gas turbine to power a new FFX frigate for the Republic of Korea's Navy. This is the first order for the MT30 in Asia.
The FFX frigate will use a single MT30 rather than a pair, which demonstrates that the engine is suitable to power a variety of naval ships.
Andrew Marsh, Rolls-Royce, President - Naval said:“We are delighted that the Republic of Korea Navy has selected the MT30 for the first ship in the FFX Batch II programme. The MT30 is the engine of choice to power the world's most advanced naval ships, where demand for power is increasing as more navies choose all-electric ships with sophisticated on board systems.
“We look forward to working with HHI, DSME and the Navy in delivering what will be the world's first frigate to feature the MT30.”
The MT30 is derived from Rolls-Royce aero engine technology and builds on over 45 million hours of operating experience. Producing 36 to 40 megawatts, it is the world's most powerful marine gas turbine and has the highest power density - a key factor in naval propulsion where delivering a high power output in a compact space is essential.
The FFX Batch II programme is for eight ships. This order is for the first vessel in the programme, which will be built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME).The MT30 engine will be built and tested in the UK before being shipped to Korea, where Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will integrate it into the steel enclosure which also houses the air inlets, exhausts and ancillary equipment, prior to installation in the ship.
The MT30 has also been selected for the U.S. Navy's DDG-1000 Zumwalt class destroyer as well as the UK Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, and is already powering the U.S. Navy's Freedom class Littoral Combat Ships.

Source: Rolls Royce

Rolls-Royce to power new frigate for the Republic of Korea Navy

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has been selected to supply its MT30 gas turbine to power a new FFX frigate for the Republic of Korea's Navy. This is the first order for the MT30 in Asia.
The FFX frigate will use a single MT30 rather than a pair, which demonstrates that the engine is suitable to power a variety of naval ships.
Andrew Marsh, Rolls-Royce, President - Naval said:“We are delighted that the Republic of Korea Navy has selected the MT30 for the first ship in the FFX Batch II programme. The MT30 is the engine of choice to power the world's most advanced naval ships, where demand for power is increasing as more navies choose all-electric ships with sophisticated on board systems.
“We look forward to working with HHI, DSME and the Navy in delivering what will be the world's first frigate to feature the MT30.”
The MT30 is derived from Rolls-Royce aero engine technology and builds on over 45 million hours of operating experience. Producing 36 to 40 megawatts, it is the world's most powerful marine gas turbine and has the highest power density - a key factor in naval propulsion where delivering a high power output in a compact space is essential.
The FFX Batch II programme is for eight ships. This order is for the first vessel in the programme, which will be built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME).The MT30 engine will be built and tested in the UK before being shipped to Korea, where Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will integrate it into the steel enclosure which also houses the air inlets, exhausts and ancillary equipment, prior to installation in the ship.
The MT30 has also been selected for the U.S. Navy's DDG-1000 Zumwalt class destroyer as well as the UK Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, and is already powering the U.S. Navy's Freedom class Littoral Combat Ships.

Source: Rolls Royce

Missteps Plague South Korean Fighter Jet Contest

A South Korean Air Force F-4 Phantom II fighter takes off from Gwangju Air Base in May. The F-X III will replace the F-4s. (U.S. Air Force)

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s multi-billion-dollar project to acquire 60 new combat aircraft is facing delays following controversies over the fighter jet evaluation methods and mistakes in how the bids were submitted.
In the latest fiasco, the 8.3 trillion won ($7.2 billion) contest was postponed June 19, just one day after the three bidders — Lockheed Martin, Boeing and EADS — submitted their proposals for the F-X III contest, whose winner is to be announced in October. That’s because the proposals by Lockheed and EADS failed to meet translation requirements, according to South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
Lockheed is offering the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Boeing the F-15SE Silent Eagle and EADS the Typhoon.
Four of the 24 files Lockheed submitted, related to offset programs and the prices of key equipment, lacked documents translated into Korean, while EADS’ 32 files were mostly in English with only an executive summary in Korean, the agency said in a statement.
The decision fanned the possibility that the fighter procurement plan would not meet its schedule.
“The F-X III selection will be two weeks behind schedule inevitably, due to the translation problem, which means DAPA’s fighter evaluation, set to begin early July, is to be postponed,” said Kim Dae-young, a research member of the Korea Defense & Security Forum, a private defense think tank here. “We already don’t have much time for evaluation and price negotiation.”
Earlier, the contest came under controversy over the evaluation methods planned for the F-35, which has long been considered the front-runner due to its “fifth-generation” capability.
DAPA’s evaluation team decided to test the F-35 through the use of simulators, since the U.S. government doesn’t allow pilots from potential customers to fly the single-engine stealth plane, which is still about 20 percent of the way through its testing program.
Critics argue, however, that simulator evaluations cannot prove the performance of a fighter jet in a proper manner, especially since the aircraft is still being developed.
Rumor and speculation also arose that the administration of President Lee Myung-bak is trying to give preference to the U.S. fighter jet over the Typhoon, the product of Eurofighter, a four-nation European consortium.
“Unlike the simulation of a commercial airplane, it’s almost impossible to demonstrate high-mobility features and technologies of a fighter jet,” said Shin Bo-hyun, head of the Weapons System Concept Development and Application Research Center at Konkuk University here.
Shin, a retired South Korean Air Force major general, said, “A big question is what functions are to be evaluated through simulation, even though the F-35 program development is still in limbo.”
Facing a barrage of public criticism over the “rough-and-ready” fighter competition, Noh Dae-rae, commissioner of the DAPA, backed down, saying the fighter selection schedule could be delayed.
“Making a decision by October is our goal, not an obligation, for effective negotiations,” Noh said. “But if we need more time to verify candidates and negotiate with bidders, we’re not really obliged to that timeline.”
He also hinted that his agency would demand that the U.S. government allow a South Korean pilot to fly an actual F-35.
Lockheed officials still have confidence that their high-fidelity simulators, including the F-35 manned tactical simulator and handling qualities simulator, will offer a great deal of access to the F-35 system.
“In the past, when we have a fighter aircraft with two seats, the second seat was required to be used for training purposes, but today’s technology allows us to build a single-seat airplane because today’s simulators are very precise and accurate,” Randy Howard, director of Lockheed’s F-35 campaign in South Korea, told Defense News.
“We’re confident that South Korean pilots can fly our simulators and fully understand the aerodynamics and operational capabilities of the F-35,” he added.
Boeing has yet to firm up its arrangements for the F-15SE evaluation, with doubts hanging over the twin-engine plane’s ability to perform both traditional and stealthy functions.
“Many of the key capability elements of the Silent Eagle are already well along with the development as part of the F-15 international programs that are ongoing,” said Howard Berry, Boeing’s vice president for sales. “In that point, Korea is actually in a tremendous position, giving the timing of their acquisition to leverage other ongoing development activities funded by other F-15 customers worldwide.”
EADS is confident in the F-X III testing and evaluation procedures, since hundreds of Typhoon fighters have already entered service.
“You can feel a large gap obviously between flying an actual aircraft and testing simulator programs,” an EADS official said. “We’re confident in the deal, as long as the competition is to proceed with fairness.”
The European aerospace giant is proposing that South Korea become the world’s fifth nation to produce the twin-engine, multirole combat aircraft, following Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.
The company links the F-X deal to Seoul’s fighter development plan codenamed KF-X, aimed at producing more than 200 multirole, stealthy aircraft.
“Key technology challenges related to the KF-X development are common to F-X key technologies and enhancement roadmaps,” Thomas Linkenbach, vice president of air systems portfolio management and sales for Cassidian, the EADS unit leading the Typhoon campaign in South Korea, said in a June 19 forum. “F-X procurement offers the best opportunity for the Republic of Korea to pave the way towards the technological challenge a fighter development imposes.”
He referred to several fighter technologies that could be transferred to South Korea. Among them are developing low-observable configurations, radar signature analysis and testing, radar-absorbing structure technology, advanced fighter control law design, and the integration of active electronically scanned array radars.

Source: http://www.defensenews.com

Missteps Plague South Korean Fighter Jet Contest

A South Korean Air Force F-4 Phantom II fighter takes off from Gwangju Air Base in May. The F-X III will replace the F-4s. (U.S. Air Force)

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s multi-billion-dollar project to acquire 60 new combat aircraft is facing delays following controversies over the fighter jet evaluation methods and mistakes in how the bids were submitted.
In the latest fiasco, the 8.3 trillion won ($7.2 billion) contest was postponed June 19, just one day after the three bidders — Lockheed Martin, Boeing and EADS — submitted their proposals for the F-X III contest, whose winner is to be announced in October. That’s because the proposals by Lockheed and EADS failed to meet translation requirements, according to South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
Lockheed is offering the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Boeing the F-15SE Silent Eagle and EADS the Typhoon.
Four of the 24 files Lockheed submitted, related to offset programs and the prices of key equipment, lacked documents translated into Korean, while EADS’ 32 files were mostly in English with only an executive summary in Korean, the agency said in a statement.
The decision fanned the possibility that the fighter procurement plan would not meet its schedule.
“The F-X III selection will be two weeks behind schedule inevitably, due to the translation problem, which means DAPA’s fighter evaluation, set to begin early July, is to be postponed,” said Kim Dae-young, a research member of the Korea Defense & Security Forum, a private defense think tank here. “We already don’t have much time for evaluation and price negotiation.”
Earlier, the contest came under controversy over the evaluation methods planned for the F-35, which has long been considered the front-runner due to its “fifth-generation” capability.
DAPA’s evaluation team decided to test the F-35 through the use of simulators, since the U.S. government doesn’t allow pilots from potential customers to fly the single-engine stealth plane, which is still about 20 percent of the way through its testing program.
Critics argue, however, that simulator evaluations cannot prove the performance of a fighter jet in a proper manner, especially since the aircraft is still being developed.
Rumor and speculation also arose that the administration of President Lee Myung-bak is trying to give preference to the U.S. fighter jet over the Typhoon, the product of Eurofighter, a four-nation European consortium.
“Unlike the simulation of a commercial airplane, it’s almost impossible to demonstrate high-mobility features and technologies of a fighter jet,” said Shin Bo-hyun, head of the Weapons System Concept Development and Application Research Center at Konkuk University here.
Shin, a retired South Korean Air Force major general, said, “A big question is what functions are to be evaluated through simulation, even though the F-35 program development is still in limbo.”
Facing a barrage of public criticism over the “rough-and-ready” fighter competition, Noh Dae-rae, commissioner of the DAPA, backed down, saying the fighter selection schedule could be delayed.
“Making a decision by October is our goal, not an obligation, for effective negotiations,” Noh said. “But if we need more time to verify candidates and negotiate with bidders, we’re not really obliged to that timeline.”
He also hinted that his agency would demand that the U.S. government allow a South Korean pilot to fly an actual F-35.
Lockheed officials still have confidence that their high-fidelity simulators, including the F-35 manned tactical simulator and handling qualities simulator, will offer a great deal of access to the F-35 system.
“In the past, when we have a fighter aircraft with two seats, the second seat was required to be used for training purposes, but today’s technology allows us to build a single-seat airplane because today’s simulators are very precise and accurate,” Randy Howard, director of Lockheed’s F-35 campaign in South Korea, told Defense News.
“We’re confident that South Korean pilots can fly our simulators and fully understand the aerodynamics and operational capabilities of the F-35,” he added.
Boeing has yet to firm up its arrangements for the F-15SE evaluation, with doubts hanging over the twin-engine plane’s ability to perform both traditional and stealthy functions.
“Many of the key capability elements of the Silent Eagle are already well along with the development as part of the F-15 international programs that are ongoing,” said Howard Berry, Boeing’s vice president for sales. “In that point, Korea is actually in a tremendous position, giving the timing of their acquisition to leverage other ongoing development activities funded by other F-15 customers worldwide.”
EADS is confident in the F-X III testing and evaluation procedures, since hundreds of Typhoon fighters have already entered service.
“You can feel a large gap obviously between flying an actual aircraft and testing simulator programs,” an EADS official said. “We’re confident in the deal, as long as the competition is to proceed with fairness.”
The European aerospace giant is proposing that South Korea become the world’s fifth nation to produce the twin-engine, multirole combat aircraft, following Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.
The company links the F-X deal to Seoul’s fighter development plan codenamed KF-X, aimed at producing more than 200 multirole, stealthy aircraft.
“Key technology challenges related to the KF-X development are common to F-X key technologies and enhancement roadmaps,” Thomas Linkenbach, vice president of air systems portfolio management and sales for Cassidian, the EADS unit leading the Typhoon campaign in South Korea, said in a June 19 forum. “F-X procurement offers the best opportunity for the Republic of Korea to pave the way towards the technological challenge a fighter development imposes.”
He referred to several fighter technologies that could be transferred to South Korea. Among them are developing low-observable configurations, radar signature analysis and testing, radar-absorbing structure technology, advanced fighter control law design, and the integration of active electronically scanned array radars.

Source: http://www.defensenews.com

South Korean Jets For The Philippines

The Philippines has ordered twelve South Korean TA-50 armed trainers for $49 million each. The price includes training, spare parts, and some tech support. The single engine, two seat aircraft is intended to restore jet combat aircraft capability in the Philippines Air Force. The first TA-50 will be delivered next year and the last of them the year after that.
The TA-50 is the combat version of the South Korean designed and manufactured T-50 jet trainer. This aircraft was developed over the last decade, at a cost of over two billion dollars. The first test flight of the T-50 took place in 2002. The 13 ton aircraft is actually a light fighter and can fly at supersonic speeds. With some added equipment (radars and fire control) the T-50 becomes the TA-50, a combat aircraft. This version carries a 20mm auto-cannon and up to 4.5 tons of smart bombs and missiles. The T-50 can stay in the air about four hours per sortie and has a service life of 8,000 flight hours.
Seven years ago the Philippines removed from service its eight F-5 fighters. These 1960s era aircraft were not much of a match for more recent warplanes and were expensive to maintain. In the meantime, the Philippines used armed trainer aircraft for strikes against Moslem and communist rebels.
Four years ago the Philippines Air Force bought another 18 Italian SF-260 trainers, for about $812,000 each. The SF-260 has been around for over 40 years and about a thousand have been produced. This is a 1.1 ton, two seat aircraft, with a max speed of 347 kilometers an hour, and an endurance of about six hours. It can be equipped to carry a 100-150 kg (220-330 pounds) of weapons and be used as a light attack aircraft. The Philippines had previously bought 64 SF-260s and has been using them for decades. Because of operational losses and wear-and-tear few are still in service.
Back then things were pretty desperate, or at least more desperate than usual, for the air force. The rising price of oil has forced sharp cutbacks in maritime patrol flights by its five Italian made S211 jet trainers. These five aircraft also served as the only fighter aircraft the Philippines had. The Philippines bought more helicopters, which were very useful in fighting Moslem and communist rebels. The Philippines originally bought 25 S211s in the 1980s, but due to accidents and lack of maintenance only about five were available for service most of the time.
The 2.7 ton S211s have a max speed of 665 kilometers an hour and can stay in the air for about five hours per sortie. The S211s were not really doing much with the maritime reconnaissance flights, as the aircraft lacked search radar and depended on the eyes of the two pilots to spot anything. The SF-260s replaced the remaining S211s. 

Source :http://www.strategypage.com 

South Korean Jets For The Philippines

The Philippines has ordered twelve South Korean TA-50 armed trainers for $49 million each. The price includes training, spare parts, and some tech support. The single engine, two seat aircraft is intended to restore jet combat aircraft capability in the Philippines Air Force. The first TA-50 will be delivered next year and the last of them the year after that.
The TA-50 is the combat version of the South Korean designed and manufactured T-50 jet trainer. This aircraft was developed over the last decade, at a cost of over two billion dollars. The first test flight of the T-50 took place in 2002. The 13 ton aircraft is actually a light fighter and can fly at supersonic speeds. With some added equipment (radars and fire control) the T-50 becomes the TA-50, a combat aircraft. This version carries a 20mm auto-cannon and up to 4.5 tons of smart bombs and missiles. The T-50 can stay in the air about four hours per sortie and has a service life of 8,000 flight hours.
Seven years ago the Philippines removed from service its eight F-5 fighters. These 1960s era aircraft were not much of a match for more recent warplanes and were expensive to maintain. In the meantime, the Philippines used armed trainer aircraft for strikes against Moslem and communist rebels.
Four years ago the Philippines Air Force bought another 18 Italian SF-260 trainers, for about $812,000 each. The SF-260 has been around for over 40 years and about a thousand have been produced. This is a 1.1 ton, two seat aircraft, with a max speed of 347 kilometers an hour, and an endurance of about six hours. It can be equipped to carry a 100-150 kg (220-330 pounds) of weapons and be used as a light attack aircraft. The Philippines had previously bought 64 SF-260s and has been using them for decades. Because of operational losses and wear-and-tear few are still in service.
Back then things were pretty desperate, or at least more desperate than usual, for the air force. The rising price of oil has forced sharp cutbacks in maritime patrol flights by its five Italian made S211 jet trainers. These five aircraft also served as the only fighter aircraft the Philippines had. The Philippines bought more helicopters, which were very useful in fighting Moslem and communist rebels. The Philippines originally bought 25 S211s in the 1980s, but due to accidents and lack of maintenance only about five were available for service most of the time.
The 2.7 ton S211s have a max speed of 665 kilometers an hour and can stay in the air for about five hours per sortie. The S211s were not really doing much with the maritime reconnaissance flights, as the aircraft lacked search radar and depended on the eyes of the two pilots to spot anything. The SF-260s replaced the remaining S211s. 

Source :http://www.strategypage.com 

Elbit to upgrade South Korean C-130 transports

 

Elbit Systems has been awarded a $62 million contract to upgrade South Korea's inventory of Lockheed Martin C-130 tactical transports.
To be conducted in cooperation with Korea Aerospace Industries, the contract will lead to the Republic of Korea Air Force's C-130s receiving advanced electronic systems and new glass cockpits, with the latter to include Elbit digital flight displays.
Announced by the Israeli company on 24 June, the project will be performed over a four-year period.
South Korea has an active fleet of 12 C-130H Hercules, including four stretched-fuselage -30 examples, says Flightglobal's MiliCAS database. It records these as having been delivered between 1987 and 1990. It also has four new-generation C-130Js on order, with deliveries expected from 2014.
Yoram Shmuely, co-general manager of Elbit's aerospace division, says the company hopes its new contract with Seoul will create the potential for additional deals with legacy C-130 operators. It has also previously conducted modernisation work on the type for Romania.

Source :http://www.flightglobal.com

Elbit to upgrade South Korean C-130 transports

 

Elbit Systems has been awarded a $62 million contract to upgrade South Korea's inventory of Lockheed Martin C-130 tactical transports.
To be conducted in cooperation with Korea Aerospace Industries, the contract will lead to the Republic of Korea Air Force's C-130s receiving advanced electronic systems and new glass cockpits, with the latter to include Elbit digital flight displays.
Announced by the Israeli company on 24 June, the project will be performed over a four-year period.
South Korea has an active fleet of 12 C-130H Hercules, including four stretched-fuselage -30 examples, says Flightglobal's MiliCAS database. It records these as having been delivered between 1987 and 1990. It also has four new-generation C-130Js on order, with deliveries expected from 2014.
Yoram Shmuely, co-general manager of Elbit's aerospace division, says the company hopes its new contract with Seoul will create the potential for additional deals with legacy C-130 operators. It has also previously conducted modernisation work on the type for Romania.

Source :http://www.flightglobal.com

S Korea, US launch major naval exercise

SEOUL: South Korea and the United States on Saturday launched a massive naval exercise in the tense Yellow Sea, ahead of the 62nd anniversary Monday of the outbreak of the Korean War, a spokesman said.
The three-day drill will involve 10 South Korean warships plus the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, 8,000 personnel and hundreds of combat aircraft, the defence ministry said. The joint naval drill, which comes amid high tensions on the peninsula, is conducted every year, alternatively in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and the Yellow Sea.
“The naval exercise started as scheduled today,” the defence ministry spokesman said. On Friday, South Korean and US troops held their biggest single-day joint live-fire exercise to test responses to any North Korean attack. The drill at Pocheon near the North Korean border involved 2,000 troops along with jet fighters, tanks, Apache attack helicopters, A-10 “tank-killer” aircraft, missiles and rocket launchers, the defence ministry said. On Thursday and Friday, the US, South Korea and Japan carried out a separate drill off the southern South Korean island of Jeju, involving destroyers, supply ships and helicopters.

Source :AFP

S Korea, US launch major naval exercise

SEOUL: South Korea and the United States on Saturday launched a massive naval exercise in the tense Yellow Sea, ahead of the 62nd anniversary Monday of the outbreak of the Korean War, a spokesman said.
The three-day drill will involve 10 South Korean warships plus the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, 8,000 personnel and hundreds of combat aircraft, the defence ministry said. The joint naval drill, which comes amid high tensions on the peninsula, is conducted every year, alternatively in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and the Yellow Sea.
“The naval exercise started as scheduled today,” the defence ministry spokesman said. On Friday, South Korean and US troops held their biggest single-day joint live-fire exercise to test responses to any North Korean attack. The drill at Pocheon near the North Korean border involved 2,000 troops along with jet fighters, tanks, Apache attack helicopters, A-10 “tank-killer” aircraft, missiles and rocket launchers, the defence ministry said. On Thursday and Friday, the US, South Korea and Japan carried out a separate drill off the southern South Korean island of Jeju, involving destroyers, supply ships and helicopters.

Source :AFP

S. Korea ‘Could Delay’ $6.9B Fighter Competition

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea could delay awarding an eight trillion won ($6.9 billion) contract for 60 dvanced fighter planes, the arms procurement agency said June 20 after setting a new deadline for bids.

The makers of Boeing’s F-15 Silent Eagle, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II and the Eurofighter Typhoon had submitted bids when the original deadline expired June 18.

But the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) reopened bidding June 19, citing what it called errors in the relevant documents, and set a new date of July 5 for submissions.

“Our plan to make a decision by the end of October is not a deadline, but a target,” DAPA commissioner Noh Dae-Rae told Yonhap News Agency in comments confirmed by a spokesman for the agency. “We could delay the timing of selecting a supplier at any time if it is necessary for the national interest.”

Controversy has erupted over plans to assess the performance of Lockheed’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter using simulators rather than actual test flights with South Korea’s pilots.

Boeing and EADS, maker of the Eurofighter, agreed on real flights but Lockheed refused to do so, saying its aircraft is still being developed, DAPA officials told Yonhap.

They said DAPA had asked Lockheed for more Korean involvement in tests on the F-35.

Noh said the two sides have been discussing the proposal and the U.S. firm would give its answer by June 22.

“If the U.S. side rejects our request, we will have no choice but to give a zero point in the criteria of flight-testing [of the F-35],” he said.

South Korea has bought 60 of Boeing’s earlier-version F-15s since 2002 under the first two stages of its fighter modernization program.

Source :http://www.defensenews.com

S. Korea ‘Could Delay’ $6.9B Fighter Competition

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea could delay awarding an eight trillion won ($6.9 billion) contract for 60 dvanced fighter planes, the arms procurement agency said June 20 after setting a new deadline for bids.

The makers of Boeing’s F-15 Silent Eagle, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II and the Eurofighter Typhoon had submitted bids when the original deadline expired June 18.

But the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) reopened bidding June 19, citing what it called errors in the relevant documents, and set a new date of July 5 for submissions.

“Our plan to make a decision by the end of October is not a deadline, but a target,” DAPA commissioner Noh Dae-Rae told Yonhap News Agency in comments confirmed by a spokesman for the agency. “We could delay the timing of selecting a supplier at any time if it is necessary for the national interest.”

Controversy has erupted over plans to assess the performance of Lockheed’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter using simulators rather than actual test flights with South Korea’s pilots.

Boeing and EADS, maker of the Eurofighter, agreed on real flights but Lockheed refused to do so, saying its aircraft is still being developed, DAPA officials told Yonhap.

They said DAPA had asked Lockheed for more Korean involvement in tests on the F-35.

Noh said the two sides have been discussing the proposal and the U.S. firm would give its answer by June 22.

“If the U.S. side rejects our request, we will have no choice but to give a zero point in the criteria of flight-testing [of the F-35],” he said.

South Korea has bought 60 of Boeing’s earlier-version F-15s since 2002 under the first two stages of its fighter modernization program.

Source :http://www.defensenews.com

US Artillery Unit May Not Realign South of Seoul

SEOUL -- A major change in the U.S. military’s plan to consolidate manpower and equipment south of Seoul as early as 2016 may be in the offing.

U.S. Forces Korea officials have proposed to their South Korean counterparts that the 210th Fires Brigade remain based at Camp Casey in Dongducheon -- north of Seoul and about 15 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone -- when the troop shift is done, Korean media outlets have reported, quoting anonymous South Korean government and military officials.

American officials feel that U.S. forces would not be able to respond as quickly as they might need to in the event of a North Korean attack if the brigade moves, as originally planned, to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 45 miles south of Seoul, the sources reportedly said.

In the event of such an attack, the 1,500 soldiers of the 210th Fires would be responsible for neutralizing the North’s heavy mechanized units and long-range artillery.

The 2016 consolidation of U.S. military assets south of Seoul is scheduled to follow a 2015 transfer of wartime operational control to the South in the event South Korean and American troops resume hostilities with North Korea.

In response to an inquiry about the reported 210th Fires proposal, USFK issued a statement saying, “As a matter of policy, we do not discuss operation planning. We will continue to work through planning the transfer to a Republic of Korea-led combined defense and remain on track and committed to the Strategic Alliance 2015 milestones.”

USFK has in the past posted statements of clarification on its website when it felt Korean media reports were misleading or mistaken. No such statement has been posted in response to the 210th Fires reports from media outlets such as The Chosun Ilbo and Yonhap News Agency.

South Korean officials with the Ministry of National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff and Combined Forces Command on Monday declined comment, or referred questions about those reports to other agencies.

There are 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea on more than 100 bases stretching from the DMZ to the southern coast of the peninsula.

As part of a multi-faceted plan designed to give the South’s military a higher profile in the defense of its country, plans call for the relocation of most American troops stationed in and north of Seoul to regional hubs in Daegu and the Pyeongtaek/Osan area -- both of which are south of the capital.

Source : http://www.military.com

US Artillery Unit May Not Realign South of Seoul

SEOUL -- A major change in the U.S. military’s plan to consolidate manpower and equipment south of Seoul as early as 2016 may be in the offing.

U.S. Forces Korea officials have proposed to their South Korean counterparts that the 210th Fires Brigade remain based at Camp Casey in Dongducheon -- north of Seoul and about 15 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone -- when the troop shift is done, Korean media outlets have reported, quoting anonymous South Korean government and military officials.

American officials feel that U.S. forces would not be able to respond as quickly as they might need to in the event of a North Korean attack if the brigade moves, as originally planned, to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 45 miles south of Seoul, the sources reportedly said.

In the event of such an attack, the 1,500 soldiers of the 210th Fires would be responsible for neutralizing the North’s heavy mechanized units and long-range artillery.

The 2016 consolidation of U.S. military assets south of Seoul is scheduled to follow a 2015 transfer of wartime operational control to the South in the event South Korean and American troops resume hostilities with North Korea.

In response to an inquiry about the reported 210th Fires proposal, USFK issued a statement saying, “As a matter of policy, we do not discuss operation planning. We will continue to work through planning the transfer to a Republic of Korea-led combined defense and remain on track and committed to the Strategic Alliance 2015 milestones.”

USFK has in the past posted statements of clarification on its website when it felt Korean media reports were misleading or mistaken. No such statement has been posted in response to the 210th Fires reports from media outlets such as The Chosun Ilbo and Yonhap News Agency.

South Korean officials with the Ministry of National Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff and Combined Forces Command on Monday declined comment, or referred questions about those reports to other agencies.

There are 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea on more than 100 bases stretching from the DMZ to the southern coast of the peninsula.

As part of a multi-faceted plan designed to give the South’s military a higher profile in the defense of its country, plans call for the relocation of most American troops stationed in and north of Seoul to regional hubs in Daegu and the Pyeongtaek/Osan area -- both of which are south of the capital.

Source : http://www.military.com

3 Firms Bidding for $6.9B Fighter Deal, S. Korea Says

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SEOUL — Three companies have submitted bids for a contract worth $6.9 billion to supply 60 fighter aircraft to South Korea, the country’s arms procurement agency said June 18.

Boeing's F-15 Silent Eagle, Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II and the Eurofighter Typhoon will vie for the order, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a statement on its website.

June 18 was the bidding deadline, with the winner to be selected in October. The contract is worth 8 trillion won ($6.9 billion).

DAPA also plans to spend some 1.8 trillion won on 36 attack helicopters, with Boeing's Apache, Eurocopter's Tiger and Turkey's T129 thought to be in competition.

The massive weapons acquisition being pushed through in the last year of President Lee Myung-Bak's presidency has sparked opposition criticism.

The Democratic United Party urged the government not to rush through the program.

"Further study and review are needed before the government goes ahead with the purchase of weapons. If necessary, this project should be handed over to the next government," it said in a statement last month.

South Korea has already bought 60 of Boeing's F-15 fighter jets since 2002 under the first two stages of a fighter modernization program.

Source :

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE