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| FA-50 Fighter (File Photo) |
By JUNG SUNG-KI
SEOUL — South Korean jets and ships are getting popular in Southeast Asia as developing nations in the region accelerate arms improvement amid China’s rapid military buildup.
By using the Southeast Asian market as a stepping stone, Seoul aims to double its arms exports to $4 billion by 2020.
Trainer jets are in the forefront of Seoul’s export push in Southeast Asia. In a recent development, South Korea and the Philippines have begun negotiations to export South Korea’s 12 FA-50 fighter aircraft to the Philippines. The FA-50 is a modified variant of the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet built by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
“Both sides have entered final negotiations over the sale of the FA-50,” a spokesman for the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said. “The negotiations are expected to last for several months.”
The FA-50 is expected to reinforce the Philippine Air Force, as the island country has had no fighter jets since it retired the last of its U.S.-designed F-5 fighters in 2005.
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