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Thai Navy to Swap German Submarines for Korean 21 April 2011 The Royal Thai Navy is considering purchasing two South Korean submarines instead of six second-hand German submarines, Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has said. The defence minister's proposal for two new Hyundai-built Type U-209 Class diesel-electric submarines could cost over THB40bn ($1.32bn) and will require a tied-over budget spanning years. The navy has agreed to the proposal as long as the new South Korean submarines were based on German technology, a navy source said. "But if that costs more than 40bn-50bn baht, the government may not approve it and...

Navy planning to procure warships from the U.S., South Korea India is planning to procure eight new South Korean minesweepers for its Navy to augment its fleet of warships capable of detonating sea mines. The Navy is also considering procuring two American used Osprey-class minesweepers, navy officials said here. “Defence Ministry is holding commercial negotiations with the Kangnam Corporation of South Korea for procuring eight minesweepers of which two would be constructed at the vendors’ shipyards and the rest would be built in India,” they said. At present, the Navy operates 12 minesweepers of the Pondicherry and Karwar class that...

Korea Likely to Buy Apache Helicopters The Army is poised to acquire a consignment of Apache helicopters. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration, in a report to the National Assembly's Defense Committee, said Wednesday it decided to buy large attack helicopters to replace the Army's superannuated 500MD and AH-1 attack choppers. It is to decide which model to buy and sign a contract by October next year. Although DAPA did not specify the model or numbers, sources speculate that the likeliest decision is to buy 36 of the newest Apache Block III helicopters from the U.S., enough for two battalions. Each...

Seoul wants to swap T-50s for stealth fighters By Lee Tae-hoon Seoul is eyeing a barter deal with the Pentagon under which a local aircraft developer would provide supersonic trainer jets to the United States in exchange for stealth fighters, the head of the country’s arms procurement agency said Wednesday. When asked about the feasibility of a swap deal with Lockheed Martin for its F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter, Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) Commissioner Noh Dae-lae said, "We are considering requesting an offset deal using the T-50." "If we buy stealth fighters from the U.S., we will push...

Indonesia Opts for Korean Supersonic Trainer Jet Korea Aerospace Industries has been selected as the preferred bidder for Indonesia's next supersonic trainer jet, raising expectations for the first ever export deal for the homegrown T-50 Golden Eagle. KAI chief Kim Hong-kyung told the Defense Ministry on Tuesday that the Indonesian government notified it of the decision and asked to start negotiations for a final contract. The two sides apparently hope to sign a memorandum of understanding in the next nine months. "A deal with Indonesia would make Korea the world's sixth exporter of supersonic aircraft after the U.S., Russia, Britain,...

Drilling companies rapidly expanding their U.S. operations in places such as Pennsylvania’s vast Marcellus Shale formation repeatedly tout they are providing American jobs and securing the nation’s energy future. Yet, a Tribune-Review examination found foreign companies are buying significant shares of these drilling projects and making plans for facilities to liquify and ship more of that natural gas overseas. A leading player in the natural gas grab is China, whose thirst for energy to fuel its industrial explosion is growing rapidly. Others include the governments of South Korea and India, and companies in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Norway, Japan and...

[Exclusive] Korea set to endure bad terms for T-50 export to Indonesia Jakarta asks Seoul to buy more planes, accept penalty write-offs By Jung Sung-ki Indonesia has asked South Korea to write off $20 million in penalties over the former’s delayed delivery of CN-235 transport aircraft in return for buying the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet, which can also be used as a light attack plane, according to government and industry sources Tuesday. Jakarta also requested Seoul purchase four more CN-235s under a barter deal, the sources said. The Seoul government is reviewing the offer positively as it has...

N. Korean hovercrafts can launch surprise attacks on South North Korea has been constructing a new base for hovercrafts, which are capable of carrying out raids at high speeds, near the western sea border, a report said Saturday. They would pose a serious threat to the South as they could launch surprise attacks on five islands near the West Sea border, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported, quoting military sources. Hovercrafts travel four or five times faster than other landing vessels. It would be easy for the aircushioned vehicles to carry out raids on the South’s west coast as they can...

Kia Motors Corp unveiled the "Naimo (KND-6)" electric concept car at Seoul Motor Show 2011, which opens for the public from April 1 to 10, 2011, in Seoul, South Korea. The electric vehicle (EV) has a lithium-polymer (Li-polymer) rechargeable battery with a capacity of 27kWh under its trunk. Its drive range is about 200km per charge. Its battery cells seem to be manufactured by LG Chem Ltd. The release date of the EV has not been determined yet. The Naimo has a permanent magnet synchronous motor in the front side of the vehicle. The maximum output and maximum torque of...

The Air Force has received two more F-15K fighter jets from U.S. defense contractor Boeing, bringing the total number of the advanced aircraft in the country to 47, officials said Monday. South Korea purchased 21 F-15K Slam Eagle jets in 2008 under the second phase of its fighter jet modernization project, and the delivery of the jets will be completed by 2012. The first-phase procurement of 40 F-15K jets was completed in 2008. The two new F-15Ks were deployed at the South's 11th Fighter Wing in Daegu, 302 kilometers southeast of Seoul, according to the Air Force. With a combat...

South Korea To Buy Global Hawk Mar 11, 2011 By Robert Wall, Amy Butler The U.S. and South Korea have reached a handshake agreement for the sale of the Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft, according to program sources. The sale, which could take place as soon as this year, will include four of the high-flying UAVs. Though the Global Hawk is designed to carry a variety of payloads, including imagery sensors, radars and signals intelligence collectors, South Korea has been approved for the Block 30I version, which includes an electro-optical/infrared system. Seoul eventually would like a signals intelligence capability; but...

Military to Deploy Early Warning Aircraft The military will deploy E-737 airborne early warning and control aircraft in July that have a 400 km surveillance range. The aircraft are capable of simultaneously monitoring 1,000 aircraft, track 300 targets and search the skies for low-flying North Korean AN-2 infiltration airplanes. Boeing unveiled the new planes, dubbed "Peace Eye," and said the first plane will be delivered to South Korea in June, a month earlier than planned. Seoul will spend W2 trillion (US$1=W1,128) until the end of 2012 to procure four E-737s. The first one will be built in the U.S. and...

Lockheed, Boeing fight to win FX-III project By Lee Tae-hoon Lockheed Martin rebuffed criticism that it is trying to dump the first batch of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft fitted only with bare minimum capabilities to South Korea at an exorbitant price in an interview with The Korea Times. Some media outlets, including the local daily Chosun Ilbo, went as far as describing the initial production lot of the F-35 offered to Seoul as “empty metal cases” that they will likely come with Block 0.5 software and at a price tag nearly twice the original forecast. Block 0.5 is...

Seoul accelerates stealth fighter program 2011-03-02 19:18 BoeingÂ’s F-15SE, Lockheed MartinÂ’s F-35 likely candidates for FX-III project South Korea is accelerating moves to purchase a high-end fleet of stealth fighter jets to counter North KoreaÂ’s asymmetrical threats and keep pace with neighboring countries seeking to secure their own radar-evading combat aircraft. Under the FX-III acquisition project worth around 10 trillion won ($8.86 billion), the Seoul government is seeking to purchase some 60 next-generation fighters with an aim to have them delivered for operational deployment to begin in 2016. The government is expected to draw up an acquisition strategy in the...

Jet sale to Indonesia may crash after break-in February 22, 2011 Concerns grew in Seoul yesterday that the reported involvement of Korea’s spy agency in data theft from a visiting Indonesian delegations could derail the Lee Myung-bak administration’s attempt to land a lucrative defense export contract. A high-powered Indonesian delegation, which included the defense minister, made a three-day visit last week, and local media reported yesterday that the National Intelligence Service was behind a Feb. 16 break-in of a delegation member’s Lotte Hotel room, from which a laptop was temporarily taken. Seoul denies the agency was involved. Since his inauguration,...

Asia's New Arms Race As China grows wealthier and builds up its military, other nations in the region are taking note—and amassing weapons of their own. At Mazagon Dock near the southern tip of Mumbai, hidden behind high concrete walls, hundreds of Indian workers are putting the finishing touches on the hulls of two 217-foot Scorpène-class attack submarines, the first of six slated to be built over the next few years. Nearby, workers are adding to India's fleet of stealth frigates and guided-missile destroyers. One big reason India is beefing up its arsenal: China. "It goes without saying that India...

KF-16 Fighter Jets Fitted with Precision-Guided Missiles South Korea's KF-16 fighter jets will be equipped with state-of-the-art GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition precision-guided missiles. The JDAMs are fitted with GPS-aided inertial navigation system (INS) and wing kits to boost their accuracy and are capable of precision attacks at night and during harsh weather conditions. A South Korean KF-16 fighter jet test-fires a GBU-31 JDAM precision-guided missile. /Courtesy of the Air Force At present, only 40 F-15K fighter jets are fitted with the missiles, but now all about 130 KF-16s will have them, making them more capable of countering North Korea's...

Published: 02.09.11, 12:02 / Israel News North Korean military officers abruptly walked out of the first official talks with rival South Korea in months Wednesday, dashing hopes for eased tensions after a deadly artillery attack in November increased war rhetoric on the peninsula. The cause of the rupture wasn't immediately explained. Seoul's Defense Ministry said the North Korean delegation got up and walked out on the second day of talks in Panmunjom inside the heavily fortified buffer zone dividing the Koreas. (AP)

NAIROBI, Kenya — Somali pirates on Wednesday released a South Korean ship seized four months ago while fishing for crabs, while another group of sea bandits captured a Greek-flagged supertanker carrying oil to the Gulf of Mexico. ... South Korea's foreign ministry said pirates released the Keummi 305 and its crew — 39 Kenyans, two South Koreans and two Chinese sailors. The ship was last reported sailing away from Somalia toward international waters. A vessel from the EU Naval Force was sailing toward the ship to secure the safety of sailors at the request of a South Korean navy vessel,...

New Ship-Launched Cruise Missiles Ready for Deployment A Korean-made ship-to-ground cruise missile dubbed Cheonryong with a range of more than 500 km is about to be deployed on warships including a 4,500-ton KDX destroyer in the West Sea, sources say. This is going to be the first deployment of a homegrown ship-launched cruise missile. Ship-to-ground missiles have a wider and more flexible potential range than ground-launched ones. The Cheonryong is capable of hitting North Korean surface-to-ship missile bases on the west coast from the East Sea as well as the West Sea. It can eventually be launched even from a...