The Slam Eagles are able to carry a wide
range of air-to-ground weapons including
the AGM-84H Standoff Land Attack Missile –
Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) and Taurus
KEPD 350K cruise missiles. In case of war,
the F-15K fleet would be used to strike key
targets to disrupt North Korean command
and control and decapitate its leadership.
The F-15Ks equip three former F-4D
squadrons of the 11th Fighter Wing (FW) at
Daegu AB and have participated in Red Flag
and Red Flag Alaska exercises in the past.
Between 1986 and 2004 the ROKAF took
delivery of 180 F-16C/Ds. Initially, 40 Block 32
examples were received followed by 140 Block
52s which were built locally by Samsung and
designated KF-16s. Like the F-15K, the F-16s
carry the Lockheed Martin Sniper XR targeting
pod. Korean F-16s act as ‘Wild Weasels’,
utilising the AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation
Missile (HARM). They equip 11 squadrons
based at Chungju, Gunsan and Seosan.
A contract between Lockheed Martin and
the South Korean government to upgrade
134 ROKAF KF-16C/D Block 52 aircraft
was signed on November 18, 2016 after an
earlier deal between the ROKAF and BAE
Systems fell through. The upgrade envisions
the installation of an active electronically
scanned array (AESA) radar and essentially
brings the aircraft up to the F-16V standard
offered by the same manufacturer.
Earlier, the 35 surviving Block 32 aircraft
were upgraded enabling use of the AIM-
120 AMRAAM as well as GPS-guided
weapons, including the 2,000lb (907kg) GBU-
31 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM).Eyeing the neighbours
The ROKAF decided to purchase the E-737
Peace Eye airborne early warning and
control (AEW&C) aircraft to keep a watchful
gaze on North Korea. In November 2006 a
US$1.6bn contract was awarded to Boeing
for four Peace Eye aircraft and associatedF-4E 60-499 of the 152nd FS returns to
Cheongju AB loaded with an example of the
Israeli-made AGM-142 Popeye cruise missile.
The weapon’s guidance pod is carried to
starboard. In the last decade the ROKAF has
phased out the RF-4C, F-4D and most of its
F-4E fleet. Two dozen survivors will remain in
use for the foreseeable future. Hywel Evans
http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #364 JULY 2018 // 59
The ROKAF acquired four examples of the C-130J-30
Super Hercules to ease the pressure on the heavily
utilised ‘legacy’ Hercules fleet. The first pair of Super
Hercules was handed over to the ROKAF at Marietta,
Georgia, in March 2014 and all four were delivered the
same year. All are based at Busan AB.The ROKAF also utilises some Russian-built equipment. HH-32A 04-001 (c/n 9701) is operated by the
235th Search and Rescue Squadron at Cheongju. The ‘Helix’ can also be equipped with a bolt-on
firefighting pack under the fuselage. Hywel Evans