S. Korea to invest 49 bln won to upgrade FA-50 light attack aircraft

South Korea's industry ministry said Thursday it plans to invest 49.4 billion won (US$35.7 million) with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Ltd. 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 with a goal to tap new markets, including the United States, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Under the project, which will run through 2028, the government will inject 29 billion won, while 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. South Korea has so far shipped around 140 units of double-seat version FA-50 fighter jets to six countries, including Poland and Malaysia. "The FA-50 boasts the world's leading competitiveness in term s 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. Source: Yonhap News Agency