KFX Fighter Full-Scale Mockup At ADEX19 | World Defense

KFX Fighter Full-Scale Mockup At ADEX19

TomCat

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TomCat

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TomCat

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BTW, There is no use of AC, they would be useless anyway as pilot is all geared up in that fat/baggy pilot suit and all the Oxygen supplies . Doesn't pilot's bp rate increase in long sorties or aerial combat ops due to increase in adrenaline or heat build up?
 

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ADEX 2019: KAI 'open' to additional foreign partners on KFX
16 October 2019
p1705269_main - Copy.jpg

The next-generation KFX fighter aircraft is expected to enter series production in the mid-2020s. To support its development additional foreign companies could be contracted to provide assistance. Source: KAI

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is open to considering additional foreign partners on its project to develop the Korean Fighter Experimental (KFX) aircraft, Jane's has learnt. The potential move comes as the KFX project faces challenges related to investment and capabilities.

Due to funding shortages, Indonesia - Korea's KFX development partner - has stalled on about KRW300 billion (USD253 million) in costs to support its involvement in the project, while local industry faces obstacles to develop some critical technologies for the platform.

A KAI official, who did not want to be identified, told Jane's at the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) on 16 October that the KFX development project is still regarded as "open" in terms of technology partners. "This is still not finalised," he said in reference to KFX development alliances. "We could consider additional partners in the future."

Under a defence offset package linked to South Korea's 2014 procurement of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the US corporation is already positioned as a technical partner on the KFX. Lockheed Martin is obligated to provide assistance across 21 technology suites including flight controls, avionics, systems integration, materials, and unspecified fighter aircraft weaponry.

However, the US government has also refused to export several technology suites under offsets, forcing South Korea to seek to develop these systems indigenously. These suites are related to the active electronically scanned array (AESA) systems, electro-optical targeting pods, infrared search and track systems, and radio frequency jammers.

Elta Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, is providing assistance to South Korean firm Hanwha Systems to develop the KFX's AESA radar.

Jane's understands that companies including Saab, Airbus and Boeing could also position themselves as future partners on the KFX, although the scope of that engagement would be subject to requirements, the structure of the partnership, and funding.
 

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ADEX 2019: KAI 'open' to additional foreign partners on KFX
16 October 2019
View attachment 10987
The next-generation KFX fighter aircraft is expected to enter series production in the mid-2020s. To support its development additional foreign companies could be contracted to provide assistance. Source: KAI

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is open to considering additional foreign partners on its project to develop the Korean Fighter Experimental (KFX) aircraft, Jane's has learnt. The potential move comes as the KFX project faces challenges related to investment and capabilities.

Due to funding shortages, Indonesia - Korea's KFX development partner - has stalled on about KRW300 billion (USD253 million) in costs to support its involvement in the project, while local industry faces obstacles to develop some critical technologies for the platform.

A KAI official, who did not want to be identified, told Jane's at the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) on 16 October that the KFX development project is still regarded as "open" in terms of technology partners. "This is still not finalised," he said in reference to KFX development alliances. "We could consider additional partners in the future."

Under a defence offset package linked to South Korea's 2014 procurement of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the US corporation is already positioned as a technical partner on the KFX. Lockheed Martin is obligated to provide assistance across 21 technology suites including flight controls, avionics, systems integration, materials, and unspecified fighter aircraft weaponry.

However, the US government has also refused to export several technology suites under offsets, forcing South Korea to seek to develop these systems indigenously. These suites are related to the active electronically scanned array (AESA) systems, electro-optical targeting pods, infrared search and track systems, and radio frequency jammers.

Elta Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, is providing assistance to South Korean firm Hanwha Systems to develop the KFX's AESA radar.

Jane's understands that companies including Saab, Airbus and Boeing could also position themselves as future partners on the KFX, although the scope of that engagement would be subject to requirements, the structure of the partnership, and funding.
Probably some ASEAN country such as Australia ?
KSA ? Nope
Uae ? Again No,
World has gotten a lot smaller
 

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South Korea’s future fighter program at risk, even as development moves along


View attachment 11090
Korea Aerospace Industries unveiled the full-sized mock-up for the first time at the Seoul Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, or ADEX.

SEOUL — South Korea’s indigenous fighter jet development program has entered the phase of prototype development following critical design review, or CDR, , according to developers.

The KF-X program for a 4.5-generation fighter, worth $7.4 billion, seeks to develop an advanced twin-engine fighter jet on par with the latest F-16 variant of Lockheed Martin by 2026, with the rollout of the first prototype happening in 2021. Korea Aerospace Industries, or KAI, is responsible for the systems development and integration.

During the CDR session at the end of September, members of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, or DAPA, examined nearly 400 kinds of technical data to see if the technologies meet the capability requirements before giving the green light to prototype development.

“The KF-X program now enters the prototype development phase as its CDR was approved,” said Jung Kwang-seon, chief of DAPA’s KF-X development team. “We will strive to develop and deploy the KF-X aircraft with advanced capabilities meeting the combat requirements.”

The jet’s full-sized mock-up was unveiled for the first time at the Seoul Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, or ADEX, which is taking place from Oct. 15 to 20.

The model has six under-wing hard points: two for external fuel tanks, two laser-guided bombs, and two other IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missiles. Four MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles are nestled under the fuselage, while a mock-up of the Lockheed Martin Sniper targeting pod is mounted on the right cheek station.

KAI spokesman Kim Ji-hyung told Defense News that the KF-X is still open to U.S. missile systems. Originally, the DAPA hoped the KF-X would be equipped with U.S. armament, such as Raytheon-built AIM-120C advanced medium-range air-to-air missile, and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, but the U.S. government has yet to approve the export license of the missiles.

“It’s easy to integrate U.S. missiles into the aircraft, and we’re open to the possibility,” Kim said. “It’s just a matter of U.S. export controls of weapons systems.”

Fitted with a homegrown active electronically scanned array, or AESA, radar, the jet has a max take-off weight of 25,600 kg and a max payload of 7,700 kg, according to KAI. The jet can fly as fast as Mach 1.8 and has a cruising distance of 2,900 km.

The KF-X Block I will not have an internal weapons carriage, which is planned for subsequent production blocks. The initial version will also lack air-to-ground striking capability since the homegrown long-range air-to-ground missile is to be developed by the mid-2020s. The Korean version of the Taurus air-to-ground missile is being developed by LIG Nex1, the country’s precision guided weapons maker.

“Though it’s called a 4.5-generation aircraft, the KF-X bears similarities to the fifth-generation F-35A,” KAI said in press material. “It’s operating cost is half of the U.S. stealth jet and features high-tech maneuvering capability next to the F-35A.”

Despite development progress, there are signs of challenges in the jet fighter program, including a potential funding loophole. That’s because Indonesia, the only international partner of the KF-X, has been backtracking from its original commitment to investing 20 percent of the development costs. KAI is obliged to pay for 20 percent, and the government is to fund the remainder.

Under a 2016 deal, Indonesia is obliged to pay around $1.3 billion to acquire up to 48 jets called IF-X in Indonesia and get the transfer of fighter jet technologies.

But the South Asian nation has paid only $190 million, some 13 percent of its financial commitment, citing domestic budgetary constraints. As of July, Indonesia has funding shortfall of $250 million, according to DAPA officials.

Jakarta, instead of cash, has offered to make payment in kind, including the provision of CN235 transport aircraft produced by Indonesian Aerospace, also known as PTDI, under a license.

Indonesia also reportedly asked to renegotiate the terms of deals on the KF-X/IF-X, with a focus on getting more technology transfer from South Korea.

“It’s a thorny issue,” a DAPA source said, asking not to be named. “The two governments have been in consultations over the funding issue but have yet to narrow a gap.”

Much attention has been on the development of the indigenous AESA radar, which experts see as the toughest challenge of the KF-X program.

In May, the DAPA announced the CDR of the AESA radar, developed by Hanwha Systems, was completed for the first production prototype to be disclosed in the second half of 2020.

Hanwha Systems, formerly known as Samsung Thales, has completed the AESA hardware with the help of Israel’s Elta Systems.

In April, airborne tests of the hardware systems were carried out with technical assistance from Italy’s Leonardo, according to Hanwha officials. The flight test bed was carried out onboard a 737-500 airplane, and the radar is to be further tested in South Korea.

“The radar is scheduled to be tested aboard an actual KF-X prototype aircraft in 2023 with the goal of completing all aspects of development by 2026,” said Jang Bo-seop, a marketing manager of Hanwha Systems.

He said the KF-X AESA has more than 1,000 transmit-receive antenna modules to perform close to the Northrop Grumman APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar that equips the F-16V.

“Developing AESA software and integrating it into the hardware is a tough task,” said a retired Air Force officer who serves as a member of DAPA’s KF-X advisory group. “There are risks down the road in spite of progress in the early development phase.”
 

Scorpion

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The cockpit looks small compare to other fighter jets out there.
 

AliYusuf

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The KF-X Block I will not have an internal weapons carriage, which is planned for subsequent production blocks.
Therein lies the Achilles Heel of the aircraft. Lug external weapons and stealth profile is compromised.

Also, an internal weapons bay will be a major redesign that will significantly add to the size and dimensions and weight of the fighter. Then that would raise the question, would it still remain to be the same fighter or a different fighter with the same name?
 

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Therein lies the Achilles Heel of the aircraft. Lug external weapons and stealth profile is compromised.

Also, an internal weapons bay will be a major redesign that will significantly add to the size and dimensions and weight of the fighter. Then that would raise the question, would it still remain to be the same fighter or a different fighter with the same name?

The final design has already been made with conformal weapon in mind. So I think it doesnt need to be redesigned. The plane is also bigger than F 35. This is a statement from person inside the program:

Google Translate from Korean.

An official of the development team said, "There is space to make space for internal armed windows and change all avionics equipment to conformal type." "Now we are developing and integrating each technology into the field of making the first full-scale fighter aircraft." . In order for the KF-X to have a stealth function, it must wait until the block 2, or block 3, is produced. However, no one can guarantee that we will be able to go to Block 2 and Block 3 at any time. The level of technology is also a matter of concern, but it has not been discussed at all in the mid to long term.

Here is the source:


Another one:

To allow the jet to hold such equipment, KAI designed the KFX’s fuselage to resemble a stealth jet akin to Lockheed Martin’s F-22. Most of the sensors are located inside the aircraft, while the four air-to-air missiles installed on the KFX are half buried in the central part of the fuselage. Space was also left on the aircraft for the future installation of an internal weapons bay - a characteristic component of stealth fighters.

According to one KAI spokesperson, once the KFX’s stealth capacity is enhanced, it will be comparable to the F-117 - Lockheed Martin’s famed stealth attack aircraft that outclasses the F-35 in numerous ways.


Here is the source:

 
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