The reception hall in the Korean Aerospace Industries Ltd. is in many ways in every dream of plane and helip lover.
Filled with model aircraft, one is particularly noticeable. At first glance, they would be forgiven to have confused it for the now politically notorious at Canadian terms-f-35 fighters.
The KF-21 Boramae (HAWK) has the same angled twin Tails and similar slim lines. As a senior Kai Manager, the similarity of “Stealthy Design” recognized.
If all heated campaign rhetoric and trade war are believed to be believed, Canada can be on the market to do something other than the F-35 made by the USA.
We will see.
The liberals be threatened In order to accept the first 16 aircraft in the order, and then to fill out elsewhere by the Royal Canadian Air Force airlines, which the Lockheed Martin-built jets has requested for decades.
One of the reasons why the Air Force is due to the F-35 in favor of the advanced skills, especially its sensors and connectivity. One of the reasons why the politicians have withdrawn is the enormous price of $ 19 billion and the enormous ownership costs, in which the majority of the support in the United States would have to be carried out.
Like Canada, South Korea wants an advanced ability. But the country made itself more than 15 years ago to design and build its own fighter of the next generation, which randomly or maybe not the F-35.
There are important differences, namely the KF-21 has two engines, not one.
And the Koreans had problems to integrate one of the most important stealth properties of wearing weapons – bombs and rockets – inside the aircraft, in contrast to under or on the wings.
Jason Ahn, Senior Manager of Kai for North America, said that the design kinks were worked out and the company now has six prototy plants. The most important thing has started the complete production of the jets for the Korean Air Force and its junior development partner Indonesia.
Since the liberal government has signaled that Canada could be ready to move away from the F-35, there were considerable debates in the online airfare community as to whether the KF-21 is a credible alternative. The opinions are mixed and the jury is still not in relation to defense specialists.
The KF-21 was developed as part of a US dollar project of $ 6.6 billion to replace the aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 in South Korea, and it was advertised as a “cheaper” alternative.
“KF-21 will be much cheaper than the fourth generation, front-line fighter,” Ahn recently said in an interview in the company’s production facility in Schauon, South Korea. “Compared to other fifth generation (like the F-35), this plane has a better maintainability right from the start. We believe that we have more or better flexibility in maintaining the aircraft.”
CBC News received access to the aerospace work in the southern part of the country and saw KF-21 in production and prototypes. However, the South Korean security officers refused to drive the permission to shoot photos or videos of the advanced fighter planes regardless of the company.
Ahn said that a number of countries had turned to the purchase of the aircraft, but he would not disclose who could be.
Kai did not take part in the Canadian fighter plane jet competition, which landed the selection of the F-35 in 2022. Instead, it showed the interest in meeting Canada’s requirements for training planes by offering his other homegrown design, the T-50 Golden Eagle.
The company endeavored to talk about this field and to present the light aircraft that had debut in 2002.
Hahn said that one of the attractive characteristics of this beam was that it could become a light fighter plane again should Kanada quickly expand the ability of his Air Force in an emergency.
“The key word is versatile and the FA-50 is not only the trainer side of the aircraft, but also the mission page of the aircraft. There can be air to air with medium rockets and Aesa radar as well as Air-to-Air missions with sniper-tartet pods and Maverick rockets as well as all of the Maverick and Maverick and all that from Air Tour Missions carry out.”
The company never received an answer to its proposal at the end of last year, and it is therefore unclear how it was received by the Ministry of Defense, which was consumed with the plan for the introduction of the F-35 and all associated infrastructure overhaul.
Question of engagement for “made in Canada”
Would either the KF-21 or the T/FA-50 suitable alternatives if Canada’s relationship with Washington continues to worsen?
Within the South Korean defense company, there is profound skepticism about how serious a re -elected liberal government or a new conservative government would be to diversify military purchases and trade.
The fear can be justified. The discussions between Canada and the USA about a new trade agreement will probably be in operation in the first week of May.
On Monday, when the liberal leader Mark Carney underlined A recycled plan to create a Canadian defense agencyHe was asked whether his defense plan “in Canada” would be sacrificed for the broader goal of putting an end to the trade war with the United States and securing access to the markets south of the border.
He did not answer the question directly.
“If you go into negotiations, you need to know where you are. You need to know what you want. You have to be strong. You have to be clear. Therefore we exhibit these guidelines. You are in the interests of Canada,” said Carney.
“They are in the interest of the Canadian workers. They are in the interest of Canadian security. And so we will negotiate with the Americans from a position of strength.”
