South Korea Buying Weapons for its new F-15Ks
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On June 20/08, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced [PDF] South Korea’s official request for a variety of weapons to equip its air force, in conjunction with the planned Direct Commercial Sale of 21 additional F-15K Strike Eagle fighters detailed in “Korea’s F-X Multi-Role Fighter Buy, Phase 2: The Race is Over”. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $200 million.
The principal contractor is Raytheon in Tucson, AZ. South Korea should have no problem integrating these weapons, and there are currently 4 U.S. Air Force pilots and 5 maintenance Extended Training Service Specialists in the Republic of Korea. They are expected to remain for the next 5 years.
The proposed order includes:
- 125 AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). This is the most advanced AMRAAM in large-scale production. A more advanced AIM-120D version is currently in testing.
- 14 AIM-120C Captive Air Training Missiles, with seekers but no rocket motors.
- 2 AIM-120C Dummy Air Training Missiles.
- 35 AGM-65G MAVERICK Missiles. They are especially designed for use against hardened tactical targets, and use imaging infrared (IIR) guidance to make them fire-and-forget.
- 6 TGM-65G MAVERICK Training Missiles.
- 280 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits, which convert Mk80 family bombs to GPS/INS guided smart bombs.
- 2 JDAM Load Build Trainers.
- 2 GBU-24 Laser Guided Bomb Units (PAVEWAY III), offering dual laser-GPS guidance. An order of this size for a new weapon usually suggests testing.
- 32 GBU-12 PAVEWAY II 500 pound laser-guided bombs.
- 2 GBU-10 PAVEWAY II 2,000 pound laser-guided bombs. Comes in both general purpose and hardened target penetrating version.
- 12,700 RR-170 Radar Jamming Chaff, used as a defensive system.
- Plus containers, bomb components, spare/repair parts, publications, documentation, personnel training, training equipment, contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related support elements.
