mixelflick wrote:Still not buying it..
This appears to be an F-22/35 hybrid, with external weapons and quite likely under-powered if they stick with the proposed engines. But perhaps performance is just a small part of the objective. Someone said it before - it's a jobs program. That's what it looks like, anyway..
I understand some countries might not want (or can't get) an F-35, and want something a little more capable. Thing is, those aircraft are out there TODAY (from a variety of countries). Upgraded F-15's, 16's and 18's from the US. Later tranche Typhoons, Rafale's and of course all of Russia's 4++ gen Flankers and now (supposedly) the Mig-35. The Phillipines were used as an example.. I actually think Gripen might be a good fit for them. One of the few air arms in that category, but I can't see them flying and fighting effectively in F-35's, KF-X's etc.. Especially given what they're flown in the past.
I'll give the South Korean's this though: They're cutting metal and appear to be serious about it. I read where in additon to ordering engines, they've settled on a radar, Meteor/other advanced weapons and have their timeline. I did note however in said timeline a bit of "concurrency".
Since they're working with LM on this project, I find it hard to believe someone wouldn't avoid that mistake again...
Man still up to that stupid narrative?
First off, KF-X has a better T/W ratio than Super Bug, F-35, F-16, EF-2000, Rafale and even has a better mil power TW ratio than F-15E. You just want to flame any non-US fighter jet program and gotten so far with your preference that you are simply blinded by your own narrative. Sort your stuff out. Kinematics wise it's a decent fighter jet to say the least.
Korea already is planning to buy 60 F-35As and is also planning to buy 20 additional F-36Bs for the AC so it's not even understandable why you are so unsatisfied on that side as well. Also, it's not like some other ministry other than MoD that is pushing for the KF-X program, especially
it is the ROKAF who is pushing for the KF-X not Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. What's very ironic is that the "jobs program" narrative that you are pushing so often was the KF-16 program during the early 2000s, because back then MoTIE pushed through and funded the production of additional 20 airframes of KF-16s which frankly, the ROKAF was opposing. Woopsy, your narrative bites you.
I've written this before on this forum and would reiterate, that after T-50 and FA-50 program, ROKAF was very convinced that having a domestic jet was better long run than just out right buying everything from foreign suppliers. Currently T-50 variants have the highest operating figures within ROKAF of over 90%. None of the other jets come any close. Also, this year the maintenance costs for the 20 or so F-35As that ROKAF possess have been made public in the parliament and it was almost double that of F-15K per airframe, which the ROKAF was already mentioning (F-15Ks) as having "high maintenance fees".
"Mistake" lmao. RoK is just playing safe. It's not like it's 2030 and suddenly every 4.5th gen fighters are all obsolete. It's not like ROKAF would be using KF-X to go do some IA mission over Beijing or something. Remember N.Kor was, is and will going to be the main target of ROKAF.
You may place your doubts about KF-X being any cheaper than F-35 and I also doubt it being able to be sold outside of Korea and Indonesia but I am quite sure maintenance-wise it will be cheaper. All the logistics from various international suppliers could be avoided for a lot of critical components. We have already witnessed the sh*t show that Turkey was involved in on the JSF's side. Now that Turkey is out it is unlikely same kind of risk arises yet again but who knows, politics within US could be the problem later on.
Also, what makes operating F-35s difficult is the security standard and F-35 only services the US is demanding its operators, driving the cost very high. Of course it is still worth those cost but it's not like Korea could operate so much without sacrificing other things. We already know that the upgrading cost of block 3F aircrafts into block 4 would be in the region of $ 30 million IIRC. F-35 simply is a money pit. Don't think experts are so stupid so you could just simply counter argue them all by saying its not rational to not "just buy F-35". I've said this in this thread in the past and also have said the same thing in the F-3 thread.
Also as if the US would allow Korea to integrate Korean armaments in the F-35. You are the one doing the same mistake you did judging the F-3 program. ROKAF is already developing a stealth ACM based on the technologies gained by the offset of buying Taurus missiles, supersonic air-launched ASM based on SASM they were developing for over a decade and is even planning to develop hypersonic air to surface missile, anti radiation missile and other armaments and evaluating the possibilities of developing escort jammer based on the KF-X. Remember that the US is very hesitant in selling Prowler overseas to those who are not the member of the Five-Eyes like the Aussies. Korea wasn't even able to get HTS pods for its KF-16 wild weasels. With KF-X they would be a least able to do something regarding these matters.