KAI remains upbeat about T-50's export opportunities
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By Siva Govindasamy
Korea Aerospace Industries (stand E2) remains confident about future prospects for its T-50 advanced jet trainer despite losing to the Aermacchi M-346 in the United Arab Emirates' closely watched tender earlier this year.
The type, which is in service with the South Korean air force, remains in contention in several countries. The company says that the T-50 is best equipped to deal with the requirements of global air forces that make the transition to newer fourth-generation fighters and, eventually, fifth-generation combat aircraft.
"The T-50 is the only next-generation advanced jet trainer in production and operation that is producing pilots for its launch customer. It is a proven programme," says KAI. "We can begin producing aircraft for international customers soon after an order and deliveries can begin within two years after the signing of the contract."
© KAI |
UNDER CONSIDERATION
Singapore is the most important near-term customer, having eliminated the BAE Hawk and considering the T-50 and M-346 in a very close contest. A decision is possible before the end of this year. Poland is also considering the type along with ex-Finnish air force Hawk 51s for a 16-aircraft requirement. India, Iraq, and Greece are other potential near-term markets, with the USA the big target over the medium-term.
KAI has not brought any aircraft to Paris, but it will have a T-50 simulator that potential customers, especially from Europe, can use. It also plans to hold talks with air forces that are likely to have a requirement for new advanced jet trainers. Also present are officers from the South Korean air force, which inducted the aircraft in 2007 and has already graduated several classes of pilots who trained on the T-50.
The service has ordered 50 T-50s in the training configuration and 20 T/A-50 light attack aircraft for combat, air defence, close air support, reconnaissance, and precision ground attack missions. It ordered another 10 for its aerobatic team, the Black Eagles, and a production contract for 60 F/A-50 light fighters is likely. Overall, South Korea could buy 142 aircraft in the T-50 family to keep the production line going until 2015.
There is close collaboration with Lockheed Martin on the programme. The T-50 is based on Lockheed's F-16, and it is a key subcontractor that helped to develop much of the aircraft. It is the T-50's international marketing partner, and will be key to the aircraft's success worldwide. It also manufactures the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and implicit in the T-50's marketing is the message that this is the best trainer to help pilots make the transition to fifth-generation fighters.
"The evolution of jet trainers must keep pace with the evolution of fighter aircraft," says KAI. "As such, we would like to emphasise the T-50's programme maturity and high training effectiveness as the next-generation trainer for next-generation fighters."
Older trainers were sufficient for first- and third-generation fighters, but that job gets tougher with newer fourth-generation fighters that are highly manoeuvrable with digital flight control systems, HOTAS control systems, glass cockpits and multi-role electronically scanned array or active electronically scanned array radars, KAI said in a presentation to the Polish air force.
It is "virtually impossible" to train on them for fifth-generation fighters with stealth, supercruise and sensor fusion abilities. That is where the T-50 comes in, it adds.
"The T-50 provides overall force value and operational flexibility by offering an advanced trainer that has full flight combat capability. This capability includes certified weapons, multi-mode radar, advanced avionics, stores management, and tactical datalink. While other trainers may simulate these capabilities, the T-50 provides the pilot with the potential for live training prior to transition to the operational system. Extensive growth in power, cooling, processing, and capacity enable future systems and missions," says the company.
The aircraft is a "dual-role trainer", the first one to effectively prove that it is possible to have both advanced jet and lead-in fighter training capabilities on the same platform, adds KAI. The M-346, it adds, has simply not been able to prove that as it has yet to enter into service with any air force.
NECESSARY SKILLS
"The T-50 is already in use so the modern, difficult-to-integrate avionics system has been assembled, tested and fielded. It works in real training live. The M-346 might be no worse, but it is still in its development stage. We do not know the outcome yet and we have to wait some more years to see the initial results of the process," says KAI.
It refers to the South Korean air force's advanced jet training programme to push its point. The service has taken delivery of 36 T-50s to replace its older T-38s, allowing it to form two training squadrons with 76 instructor pilots. Since the first course began in February 2007, four classes have graduated and two more are under way. The T-50 total training package, encompassing the aircraft, the ground-based training system and integrated logistics support development are completed and in service in South Korea.
The service says that the T-50 saves time and cost while increasing the pilot's skill levels, given that the programme covers all training phases from post-basic training to fighter aircraft transition with one aircraft. "The T-50 has the highest OCU download capability available in a single trainer reducing training dependency on frontline fighters," it says.
"The system combines the highly capable T-50, simulators, computer based learning, and integrated logistics support to maximize training effectiveness. Its ground based training equipment enables rapid development of essential skills and embedded training includes air-to-air and air-to-ground missions and simulated systems and weapons to provide the pilot with the necessary skills to operate advanced fourth- and fifth-generation fighters," says KAI.
Cadets trained on the T-50 can undertake solo flights by the seventh or eighth sortie, compared with 17 on the T-38. "The initial operational result shows great training effectiveness," says KAI.
"The new training system has resulted in a 20% saving in terms of time and 30% cost saving, and 40% increase in skill levels among air force cadet pilots. That shows that it is the best value for air forces globally."
