Forum: F-35 Lightning II

I recently read that South Korea is looking for an engine to power its proposed FK-X Fighter. The requirement is for ~ 50,000 lbs. Which, made me wonder if the GE F-136 wouldn't be the best option?

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According to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the KF-X will be a twin-engined fighter (although there are two prototypes, KFX-101 is single-engined, KFX-201 has a twin-engine configuration), and KAI's favourites engines are the General Electric F414 or the Eurojet EJ200.

Regards

RyanCollins wrote:

According to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the KF-X will be a twin-engined fighter (although there are two prototypes, KFX-101 is single-engined, KFX-201 has a twin-engine configuration), and KAI's favourites engines are the General Electric F414 or the Eurojet EJ200.

Regards

If, the F136 or F135 aren't available. Then Korea would have little choice but to select the EJ200 or F414. Yet, by point was the F136 maybe a better solution for a number of reasons,

The F-135 could meet that requirement too.

If the RoK is willing to fund the rest of development for the F-136, but why on earth would they? Question

RoK could just order F-135 to reduce costs of producing the engine for everyone else.

Corsair1963 wrote:

RyanCollins wrote:

According to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the KF-X will be a twin-engined fighter (although there are two prototypes, KFX-101 is single-engined, KFX-201 has a twin-engine configuration), and KAI's favourites engines are the General Electric F414 or the Eurojet EJ200.

Regards

If, the F136 or F135 aren't available. Then Korea would have little choice but to select the EJ200 or F414. Yet, by point was the F136 maybe a better solution for a number of reasons,

2x F414 EPE = About 52,800 lbs of thrust I think. Not bad and cheaper I think.

TSFG

Exactly, why on earth would you want to fund the final development of any engine project that has been cancelled for any reason?

GE doesn't own the rights to the F136 design the US GOV does. I don't see the US GOV handing over Billions of $$ worth of R&D to South Korea to finish the project themselves.

If they needed an engine in that thrust class, an F135 derivative would be the most economical engine candidate for a single; likewise twin F414s would be the cheapest for a twin.

If they're thinking 'cheap fighter'; single is the way to go. Twin engines cost lots more over the life of a program. The additional overhaul costs in the long run negate any savings by purchasing 'smaller' engines.

The F136 is as dead now as the YF120. Unless the US GOV releases the technology/design, and GE and/or Korea refunded the cost of the contracts to date, I figure a few federal laws would be broken... a few people would go to jail and GE may be penalized on future contracts/programs. (A risk GE would never take if it would jeopardize future in any way.)

The cheapest route would to be a proven, flight tested, flight qualified engine that is not only in production but in wide spread use.

Keep 'em flyin' Thumb

TEG
(Edit - Typo)

Will they allow the F414 to be exported to Korea after the Tiger Eye debacle? I can see the US government insisting that they figure out how to live with the F404 instead. Might force them into Eurojet's hands to buy EJ200 or to become the key investor behind the rumored 'EJ220' edition of the EJ200-101. The EJ2X0 family should be fairly competent options to act as substitutes for the F414. And you always could deal with the French over the M88-2, which is much more in line with their compact KF-X design.

The solution to the South Korean Fighter Program is FK-X=F-35A . There is nothing to be gained by South Korea build its own fighter. They will buy the F-35 and invest the money they had planned for the FK-X's development in to other military projects and acquisitions such as Stealth Cruise Missiles.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2011/12/116_100261.html

Forum: F-35 Lightning II

GE F-136 and South Koreas KF-X Fighter Program?