Posted on 02/02/2011 8:28:08 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
South Korea's planned acquisition of next-generation fighter aircraft platforms could be brought forward one year to 2015 in response to increasing threats from North Korea, Yonhap news agency reported on 30 January.
Citing the sensitive nature of the country's FX Phase III (FX-III) procurement programme, an official spokesman from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) told Jane's that he could neither confirm nor deny the reports.
However, unnamed defence officials were quoted by state-funded Yonhap as saying that the FX-III acquisition would be launched later this year with the aim of inducting the aircraft within four years. The previous schedule to introduce the FX-III aircraft into service with the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) was thought to be 2016.
A government source said: "There is a growing consensus within the government that the next-generation fighter programme must be launched at an early date." Meanwhile, a DAPA official said: "It usually takes about four years for the first shipment of aircraft after a contract is signed, which means the new aircraft can be commissioned from as early as 2015."
Officials cited the escalation in North Korean military activity as a factor behind the potential move
(Excerpt) Read more at janes.com ...
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