QUOTE
(2nd LD) Seoul eyes advanced jets beyond F-15K
SEOUL, April 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea Friday unveiled its ambition to procure fifth-generation fighter jets such as F-22 and F-35, made by Lockheed Martin of the United States, to keep up with the air superiority of neighboring powers.
Japan is aggressively pushing for the purchase of F-22 fighters, which can evade radar and carry out various attacks, citing growing threats from China and North Korea.
A senior U.S. official said that the issue will be discussed in a summit between U.S. President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe this week.
"China is modernizing its air force at a rapid pace," said Dennis Wilder, senior director for East Asian Affairs at the White House National Security Council. "And so we are very positively disposed to talking to the Japanese about future-generation fighter aircraft."
Foreign sales of the F-22 Raptor, nicknamed "dream fighter jet," are currently banned by U.S. law to curb technology leaks.
South Korean defense officials are paying keen attention to Japan's move.
"The U.S. Congress has yet to make a decision on whether to lift the ban," Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo told reporters here. "We will have to look at its decision."
He said South Korea needs to stop falling behind Japan and build up comparable air force firepower.
"Under South Korea's defense reform plan, it is due to acquire fighter jets with a capacity equivalent to that of the F-15K, and then seek the purchase of fifth-generation ones," he said.
Kim would not elaborate on whether Japan's move will affect Seoul's plan to introduce 20 additional combat planes by 2012.
South Korea has been widely expected to sign another contract with Boeing Co. in an extension of its FX project, in which it signed a deal to buy 40 F-15Ks from Boeing by 2008.
Boeing was the only company to show interest in the second phase of the FX project, and Seoul's defense procurement agency is inviting foreign bids again.
Kim said Boeing is not a guaranteed successful bidder yet, adding, "it can be judged after reviewing bid proposals by other companies."
In an interview with Yonhap News Agency earlier this week in Beijing, Kim admitted that the F-15 model is outdated in comparison with the F-22 and F-35.
His comments were construed as hinting at the possibility that South Korea may delay the purchase of additional fighter jets.
In a show of their strengthening military ties, meanwhile, the U.S. and Japan began two-day joint air force drills Thursday involving a squadron of F-22A stealth fighters temporally deployed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.
The exercise, joined by more than fighters including F-4, F-15, and F-22A, aims at improving the interoperability of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Air Force.
SEOUL, April 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea Friday unveiled its ambition to procure fifth-generation fighter jets such as F-22 and F-35, made by Lockheed Martin of the United States, to keep up with the air superiority of neighboring powers.
Japan is aggressively pushing for the purchase of F-22 fighters, which can evade radar and carry out various attacks, citing growing threats from China and North Korea.
A senior U.S. official said that the issue will be discussed in a summit between U.S. President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe this week.
"China is modernizing its air force at a rapid pace," said Dennis Wilder, senior director for East Asian Affairs at the White House National Security Council. "And so we are very positively disposed to talking to the Japanese about future-generation fighter aircraft."
Foreign sales of the F-22 Raptor, nicknamed "dream fighter jet," are currently banned by U.S. law to curb technology leaks.
South Korean defense officials are paying keen attention to Japan's move.
"The U.S. Congress has yet to make a decision on whether to lift the ban," Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo told reporters here. "We will have to look at its decision."
He said South Korea needs to stop falling behind Japan and build up comparable air force firepower.
"Under South Korea's defense reform plan, it is due to acquire fighter jets with a capacity equivalent to that of the F-15K, and then seek the purchase of fifth-generation ones," he said.
Kim would not elaborate on whether Japan's move will affect Seoul's plan to introduce 20 additional combat planes by 2012.
South Korea has been widely expected to sign another contract with Boeing Co. in an extension of its FX project, in which it signed a deal to buy 40 F-15Ks from Boeing by 2008.
Boeing was the only company to show interest in the second phase of the FX project, and Seoul's defense procurement agency is inviting foreign bids again.
Kim said Boeing is not a guaranteed successful bidder yet, adding, "it can be judged after reviewing bid proposals by other companies."
In an interview with Yonhap News Agency earlier this week in Beijing, Kim admitted that the F-15 model is outdated in comparison with the F-22 and F-35.
His comments were construed as hinting at the possibility that South Korea may delay the purchase of additional fighter jets.
In a show of their strengthening military ties, meanwhile, the U.S. and Japan began two-day joint air force drills Thursday involving a squadron of F-22A stealth fighters temporally deployed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.
The exercise, joined by more than fighters including F-4, F-15, and F-22A, aims at improving the interoperability of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Air Force.
I'm not completely sure on how this would be done. With the current budget restraints, it's going to be hard to acquire the F-22A even if the foreign sale ban is lifted. ROK might be able to pool enough money to procure several F-22A if they get rid of their aging fleet of F-4 and F-5, which will save maintainence, personnel, materiel and fuel costs, or by selling them off to another country that just needs low-cost fighters to get the job done.
On the other hand, the F-35 will not be available to ROK until by 2012 at the earliest, and even that's stretching it due to the fact that the JSF are encountering a lot of design flaws lately, and it's likely to see some delays until the final production models begin to roll out.
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?...d=2007042785538
QUOTE
U.S. May Lift Ban on F-22 Exports to Japan
A White House official said the U.S. government is positively considering Japan’s offer to purchase F-22 fighters. The F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft.
Dennis Wilder, Director for East Asia at the National Security Council, held a press conference on April 25, a day before Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to America. He was asked to confirm recent Japanese media reports that Japan wants to purchase F-22 fighters. He said, “The U.S. is very positively disposed to talk with Japan about the future-generation fighter aircraft.”
“The U.S.-Japan Defense Alliance is changing and Japan helped the U.S. shift its naval troops from Okinawa to Guam. The People`s Liberation Army Air Force of China is spurring modernization. North Korea’s missile and nuclear capabilities come as a threat to Japan. All of these explain why Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) requested the future-generation fighters,” he said.
"It`s something for the experts to look at, to figure out which of the many superb aircraft we have suits Japan`s needs the most,” he added.
The Raptor is a likely candidate for the JASDF’s Replacement-Fighter program (for buying future generation fighter aircraft) in summer 2008.
But the export of the F-22A is banned under federal law and needs approval from the U.S. Congress. Its high cost (200-300 million dollars per Raptor) also may be an issue. Japan was also considering buying F-15FXs first and F-22s later. The F-15FX is the advanced version of F-15J and F-15DJ, the mainstay of the JSADF, and its price is less than the half of a Raptor.
The Japanese government has allocated 1 trillion yen for its Replacement-Fighter Program.
Neighboring Northeast Asian nations are sensitive to Japan’s possible purchase of F-22 fighters. When the Washington Times reported, “Japan wants to buy as many as 100 F-22 fighters” on April 20, the China News, a semi-official news agency, expressed concern, saying, “That will upset the military balance around the Taiwan Straits of the last 20 years.”
Some dispute the report, however, as buying 100 Raptors requires two or three times more money than Japan’s total budget for the replacement program.
The United States Air Force deployed 12 F-22 fighters at Kadena Air Base in southern Japan`s Okinawa prefecture in late February. The deployment expires in May. Japan’s Ministry of Defense proposed a joint drill between United States Air Force pilots and JSADF pilots, and the joint military training is to be held around Okinawa on April 27. The JSADF has about 200 F-15J and F-15DJ models, with are said to deliver lesser performance compared to the F-15Ks of the ROK Air Force.
A White House official said the U.S. government is positively considering Japan’s offer to purchase F-22 fighters. The F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft.
Dennis Wilder, Director for East Asia at the National Security Council, held a press conference on April 25, a day before Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to America. He was asked to confirm recent Japanese media reports that Japan wants to purchase F-22 fighters. He said, “The U.S. is very positively disposed to talk with Japan about the future-generation fighter aircraft.”
“The U.S.-Japan Defense Alliance is changing and Japan helped the U.S. shift its naval troops from Okinawa to Guam. The People`s Liberation Army Air Force of China is spurring modernization. North Korea’s missile and nuclear capabilities come as a threat to Japan. All of these explain why Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) requested the future-generation fighters,” he said.
"It`s something for the experts to look at, to figure out which of the many superb aircraft we have suits Japan`s needs the most,” he added.
The Raptor is a likely candidate for the JASDF’s Replacement-Fighter program (for buying future generation fighter aircraft) in summer 2008.
But the export of the F-22A is banned under federal law and needs approval from the U.S. Congress. Its high cost (200-300 million dollars per Raptor) also may be an issue. Japan was also considering buying F-15FXs first and F-22s later. The F-15FX is the advanced version of F-15J and F-15DJ, the mainstay of the JSADF, and its price is less than the half of a Raptor.
The Japanese government has allocated 1 trillion yen for its Replacement-Fighter Program.
Neighboring Northeast Asian nations are sensitive to Japan’s possible purchase of F-22 fighters. When the Washington Times reported, “Japan wants to buy as many as 100 F-22 fighters” on April 20, the China News, a semi-official news agency, expressed concern, saying, “That will upset the military balance around the Taiwan Straits of the last 20 years.”
Some dispute the report, however, as buying 100 Raptors requires two or three times more money than Japan’s total budget for the replacement program.
The United States Air Force deployed 12 F-22 fighters at Kadena Air Base in southern Japan`s Okinawa prefecture in late February. The deployment expires in May. Japan’s Ministry of Defense proposed a joint drill between United States Air Force pilots and JSADF pilots, and the joint military training is to be held around Okinawa on April 27. The JSADF has about 200 F-15J and F-15DJ models, with are said to deliver lesser performance compared to the F-15Ks of the ROK Air Force.
