Gov't to invest $35.7M to upgrade FA-50 fighter jets

KAI's FA-50s [KAI]

The Korean government plans to invest 49.4 billion won ($35.7 million) to upgrade FA-50 fighter jets to meet global demand and expand its export portfolio.

The budget will be spent to develop a single-seat variant of the FA-50, a jet trainer manufactured by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), with a goal to tap into new markets, including the United States, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Thursday.

The government will inject 29 billion won into the project, which will run through 2028. KAI and other partner firms will fund the remaining amount needed to enhance the performance of the FA-50s.

The upgraded FA-50 will be equipped with a domestically developed automatic ground collision avoidance system and will feature an expanded operation range of up to 30 percent, the ministry added.

Korea has so far shipped around 140 units of the double-seat version FA-50 fighter jets to six countries, including Poland and Malaysia.

"The FA-50 boasts the world's leading competitiveness in terms of price, performance, delivery time and operational costs," Industrial Policy Director-General Lee Seung-ryeol said, noting the development of the single-seat variant will pave the way to boost exports.

"We will spare no efforts to establish a robust defense ecosystem, and expand research and development so that FA-50s can be exported to the U.S. market in 2025," Lee added.

BY PARK EUN-JEE, YONHAP [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]