Flight International - 22 May 2018

DEFENCE

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DEVELOPMENT GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE

Indonesia could eject from K-FX pact

Jakarta misses scheduled $100m payment, as government reviews commitment to bilateral fighter deal with Seoul

I

ndonesia wants to review its in-

volvement in the Korea Aero-

space Industries (KAI) K-FX fight-

er programme, defence minister

Ryamizard Ryacudu confirms.

Explaining Jakarta’s position

during a television interview, Rya-

cudu said the development con-

tract for the advanced fighter –

signed by KAI and Indonesian

Aerospace (IAe) in early 2016 –

was “incomplete”, without pro-

viding further details.

One industry source confirms

that KAI is unsure of its partner’s

continued backing. Jakarta has al-

ready invested $200 million in the

K-FX programme, but recently

missed making a further $100 mil-

lion payment, part of which was

intended to pay Indonesian re-

searchers already on the payroll at

the South Korean company’s fac-

tory in Sacheon.

DEVELOPMENT COSTS

In 2016, Jakarta committed to pay

$1.6 billion toward the fighter’s

development costs: about 20% of

an estimated $8.5 billion total.

Ryacudu says he believes it

should remain in the programme,

due to the money that it has al-

ready invested.

According to an industry

source, the prevailing view is that

Jakarta is using K-FX to obtain

more concessions from Seoul,

such as an order for additional

IAe-built CN235 maritime patrol

aircraft; four of which are in ser-

vice with South Korea’s coast-

guard, with two more as options.

IAe declines to comment, but the

topic is likely to be an issue when

Indonesian president Joko Wido-

do visits South Korea in July.

The same source downplays

suggestions that the USA is con-

cerned about the sharing of sensi-

tive technologies with Indonesia.

Lockheed Martin, as part of offsets

associated with Seoul’s order for

40 F-35As, is also helping with

development of the K-FX.

“Export licences are of second-

ary concern, because South Korea

is developing some of these tech-

nologies on its own,” the source

notes. Hanwha Systems is devel-

oping the aircraft’s active electron-

ically scanned array (AESA) radar,

with Israel’s Elta Systems provid-

ing assistance.

In 2015, the K-FX programme

suffered a major setback, when it

emerged that Washington was un-

willing to provide export licences

for four core key technologies:

AESA radars, infrared search and

track sensors, electro-optical tar-

get tracking devices and jammers.

The worst-case scenario for KAI

would be a complete withdrawal

by Indonesia. If this were to occur,

it would need to make up Jakarta’s

share of the development budget,

or find another partner.

TWO VARIANTS

The joint programme envisages

that 120 twin-engined fighters will

be delivered to South Korea’s air

force, and 80 to Indonesia. Their

fleets are likely to be different,

with officials having previously

said that Jakarta will field its exam-

ples in a Block I configuration

without stealth coatings or the

ability to carry weapons internally.

The Republic of Korea Air Force

will introduce a Block II-standard

model with both these features

added. This is a source of concern

to KAI, since developing two major

variants will increase costs and

complexity.

The K-FX will be powered by

two GE Aviation F414 engines, and

have a significant amount of other

foreign content. United Technolo-

gies Aerospace Systems will pro-

vide its environmental control

system, air turbine starters and

flow control valves. Cobham will

supply weapons carriage and re-

lease equipment, and Meggitt

will furnish the aircraft’s nose

and main wheels, carbon brakes

and brake control system.

The programme’s design phase

will run until late 2019, when the

production of prototypes will

begin. A first flight is planned in

mid-2022, with testing and evalu-

ation to continue until 2026. ■

Korea Aerospace Industries is expecting to fly its twin-engined design for the first time during 2022

Korea Aerospace Industries

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