Experts Question Fighter Quality

"We've looked at simulations and received briefings on the APG-63V1 radar and the F110 engine," said a senior Air Force official Monday, referring to the radar and engine Boeing recommended for use in its F-15 fighter jet.

The F-15 is one of four warplanes being considered for South Korea's next-generation fighter jet project, code-named F-X.

The official added that air-to-surface missile capabilities are still being developed for the three other contenders - the Eurofighter, Dassault's Rafale and the Russian-built Su-35.

The official's statements supported critics' claims that the selection of the jet for the $3 billion F-X project is progressing without close examination of the quality of crucial systems such as engines and radar.

Defense Ministry officials have been evaluating the four contenders since August. However, observers said the evaluations remained cursory at best either because the models have not been tested in combat situations or because of time constraints.

Experts are thus concerned about the quality of the fighter jet, scheduled to be selected in July and introduced in 2004.

Boeing has recommended F110 engines built by General Electric for its F-15 jets. However, the F-15s deployed in the United States, Japan and Saudi Arabia are all equipped with F110 engines manufactured by Pratt and Whitney. Experts say the Defense Ministry should have conducted its own tests of the GE engine.

Boeing also recommended the APG-63V1 air-to-air radar, but this system was just put into use for the first time at an Air Force base in Virginia. Again, the ministry has not tested the radar itself.

Reacting to these concerns, an official with the F-X team said, "If the quality of systems are not what the bidders say they are, they have to pay an exorbitant sum of money." The official said the team is confident that it can obtain the capability that it desires.

However, Kim Jong-dae, a defense industry expert, said, "Without a close evaluation, the F-X project may turn out to be a testing ground for fighter jets currently under development."

He added that a full evaluation should take place even it means delaying the project.

by A Special Reporting Team