Fly- og våpenshow i Seoul - AIN

With tensions on the Korean peninsula remaining high, the U.S. chose the biennial Seoul Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) to display a wide variety of airpower platforms. More than a dozen serving U.S.military aircraft were on show, including two F-22s and two F-35s. Inside the halls, 300 exhibitors from 30 countries were present, hoping to start or extend their business with the Republic of Korea (ROK). Meanwhile, the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier sailed offshore with a U.S. destroyer and warships from the ROK Navy and launched almost 90 F/A-18 Hornet fighter sorties.   

Lt. Gen. Thomas Bergeson, the 7th Air Force commander and U.S. Forces Korea deputy commander, said that the ADEX show “represents a unique opportunity for citizens of the ROK to get an up-close look at some of the air assets the U.S. military brings to the ironclad ROK-US alliance.” An F-22 and an F-35 were joined in the flying display by ROK Air Force (ROKAF) jets, including a five-ship ROKAF F-15K formation, and the Black Eagles T-50 aerobatic team. On the ground in addition to the stealth fighters, were single examples of the A-10, C-17, C-130J, KC-135, E-3A, CH-47F, P-8A and RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV. Meanwhile, two B-1B bombers detached from the U.S. mainland to Guam flew on exercise with Korean forces on Tuesday night, and one was expected to perform flybys on the closing public days of the show. Meanwhile, the ROK defense minister held a series of bilateral meetings with chief foreign delegates at the show.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) displayed the latest T-50A version of its advanced jet trainer to a home audience for the first time. KAI officials noted that there are many similarities between this aircraft, which is being promoted for the U.S. Air Force T-X competition by Lockheed Martin, and the FA-50 fighter-attack version that KAI has been marketing independently. Deliveries of 12 FA-50s to the Philippines air force have now been completed. The officials also said that the ROKAF would order some additional T-50s, and the Yonhap news agency reported that Thailand would account for an additional eight.

KAI also highlighted the Korean Fighter-Experimental (KF-X) development program. KAI has awarded Cobham a contract to supply the aircraft’s conformal antenna suite, having previously chosen the Anglo-American company for the KF-X munitions carriage and release system. The release of American technology for the KF-X has been the subject of some long and difficult negotiations between the U.S. and the ROK. Long before the KF-X may enter service in 2026, however, the ROKAF will be building its fleet of 40 F-35As to which it committed in 2014. Deliveries will begin next year.

Both KAI and the Aerospace Division of Korean Air exhibited a number of UAVs. In particular, Korean Air showed a small tiltrotor designated KUS-VT and a full-scale optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) designated KUS-10 and converted from a manned MD-500 light rotorcraft. Korean Air licence-produced more than 250 MD-500s for the ROK Army many years ago and is now working with Boeing (which now owns the MD-500 rights) on the OPVdevelopment. Korean Air also showed various concepts including a stealthy UCAV and a MALE UAV. The ROK is shopping for a MALE UAS, which prompted General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) to sign an MoU with Huneed Technologies, a Korean developer and manufacturer of airborne harnesses and electrical panels, defense communication systems and commercial IT systems.

GA-ASI signed another MoU with the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). This university is host to Korea’s Civil RPAS Research Center (CR2CENT), which provides advice and analysis to develop a legal and technological foundation for the safe and timely integration of RPAs into Korean civil airspace. GA-ASI said that by collaborating with CR2CENT, it would “gain a better understanding of the Korean civil airspace environment and its regulatory structure.”

That regulatory structure has prevented the U.S. Air Force from basing the RQ-4 Global Hawk in the ROK, even though that country is the only international customer for the high-altitude UAV (apart from NATO). The first of four ordered by the ROKAF are due to be delivered next year.

Meanwhile, the ROK’s requirement for a new fleet of 12 naval helicopters attracted serious attention from the likes of Leonardo. It showed naval versions of the AW159 (eight already acquired by the ROK Navy) and the AW101. It also showed avionics that could equip the helicopters, such as the Seaspray 7000E multimode AESAradar; the SEER radar warning receiver; the SAGE ELINT system; the Britecloud expendable active decoy; and the Miysis missile defense system. The ROK expects to sign a contract for the naval helicopters at the end of next year, for delivery by 2022. The NHIndustries NH-90 and Sikorsky MH-60R are also contenders.

Saab promoted the Swordfish maritime patrol aircraft and the GlobalEye multirole airborne surveillance system. Airbus Defence & Space was offering the rival C295 maritime patrol aircraft.