To protect the ‘Hermit Kingdom’, the
Korean People’s Army has a significant
number of fixed surface-to-air missile (SAM)
sites as well as mobile SAM launchers,
numerous man-portable air defence
systems (MANPADS) and 23/57mm anti-
aircraft artillery (AAA) at its disposal.
Advancing by stealth
The ROKAF opted for the F-35A to deter
these growing threats and signed a contract
for 40 examples on September 30, 2014.
The first Lightning II for the ROKAF took to
the air at Fort Worth, Texas, on March 19
and the second aircraft first flew on May 2.
Although it was previously suggested that
the first F-35s would arrive at Suwon Air
Base this year, it now appears they will be
based at Cheongju AB alongside the F-4Es.
Deliveries of the Lightning II are planned
for completion before the end of 2021.
Further modernisation will materialise
around 2026, when the first of a planned
120 Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-X
fighters is scheduled to enter service.
The KF-X will be a twin-engined aircraft
with stealth features designed to fill the
gap between the F-16 and the F-35. The
programme is being pursued in co-operation
with Indonesia, which had agreed to pay
20% of the development costs. However,
Indonesia is behind on payments and
according to Korean sources, the programme
itself could now be in jeopardy.
Once operational, it is planned that the KF-X
will replace the remaining F-4Es. The ROKAF
received a total of 95 F-4Es, new-build as well
as former US Air Force examples, between
1977 and 1990. The second-hand jets have all
been withdrawn from use, leaving just over 25
Phantom IIs still in service at Cheongju. They
are capable of striking North Korean targets
with GPS-guided ordnance and the massiveAGM-142 Popeye standoff cruise missile.
Subsequently they have been updated to
carry the indigenous ALQ-88K jamming pod.
The KF-X is also slated to replace the last
F-5Es in service. Between 1974 and 1986
the ROKAF received 174 F-5E and 40 F-5F
aircraft, of which 68 were built in Korea as
KF-5E and KF-5F variants. The oldest F-5s
have been withdrawn from use, leaving
around 100 still in service. Currently they
equip three squadrons at Suwon, two at
Gangneung and a training unit at Gwangju.Precision strikes
Sixty multi-role F-15K Slam Eagles are
capable of striking any target in North
Korea and are the most formidable combat
aircraft in ROKAF use today. The first
batch of 40 Eagles, powered by General
Electric F110 engines, was received between
2005 and 2008. A follow-on order for 21
aircraft with Pratt & Whitney powerplants
was placed in 2008 and deliveries were
completed by April 2012. One was lost
in a fatal crash during 2006 and a further
fatal loss occurred on April 5 this year.F-5E 50-602 of the 207th FS at Suwon AB, where Tiger IIs still fly at least 30
missions daily. With the expected arrival of the first F-35A at Suwon this
year, it’s likely the Korean-built Tigers currently resident there will move to
Gangneung to replace older US-built examples. Hywel Evans
South Korea’s shadowy Colts
Over the years as many as ten different An-2s, carrying
civil registrations in the range between HL-1082 and
HL-1091, have been seen operating from Seongmu. They
carry a generic Korean roundel but no titles denoting
use by the air force, army or navy as on other Koreanmilitary aircraft. Two were lost after engine failures on
May 4, 2009 and June 25, 2015. Although they operate
from an air force training base (albeit on a separate
part of that facility), it is not known which unit they are
assigned to within the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.58 // JULY 2018 #364 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com
A further 20 TA-50 armed trainer/light attack aircraft
scheduled for delivery next year will bolster the fleet
of 22 already in use. Their arrival will signal the
end for the F-5E/F in the lead-in fighter trainer role.
TA-50 12-075 (c/n KA-075) belongs to the 115th Flight
Training Squadron at Yecheon AB.Korean
standoff Republic of Korea Air Force
Hywel Evans