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The South Korean light combat aircraft FA-50 takes off. (provided by Korea Aerospace Industries)

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will begin exporting the domestically produced FA-50 light combat aircraft to Europe.

During a South Korea-Visegrad Group business forum in Budapest on Wednesday, KAI signed a memorandum of understanding with the Slovakian state-run defense company Letecke Opravovne Trencin (LOTN) to export the FA-50. The forum was being held in conjunction with a summit the same day among South Korea and the four Visegrad Group countries of Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Each company’s president was present to sign the agreement.

The FA-50 is a light combat aircraft that adds radar, missile and machine gun capabilities to the South Korean-made T-50 advanced jet trainer aircraft.

Slovakia is in the process of replacing its aging L-39 jet trainers and has named the FA-50 as a likely candidate to take their place, KAI explained. The deal would include around 10 aircraft.

“At the Seoul ADEX [International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition] 2021 event at Seoul Air Base last month, a delegation from the Slovakian defense ministry visited the KAI display and observed a flight by the T-50B Black Eagles aerobatic team, after which they stopped at the KAI offices in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, to observe the aircraft product facilities and take a test ride in the FA-50,” KAI explained.

The company added that it plans to “begin discussions toward partnership with LOTN to include the FA-50 in Slovakia’s advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft project.”

KAI has recently been looking to take advantage of a generational shift in fighter aircraft by EU and NATO members by venturing into the market for advanced jet trainers and light combat aircraft in Slovakia and other European countries.

“We look forward to Slovakia being the starting point as we lay the groundwork for the FA-50 to penetrate the European market,” said KAI CEO Ahn Hyun-ho.

“We also plan to expand beyond aircraft sales into training services for pilot development,” he added.

A total of 72 South Korean-made advanced jet trainer aircraft, including the FA-50, have previously been exported to four countries: Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Iraq. In July of this year, Indonesia and Thailand each made additional purchases of six and two aircraft, respectively.

KAI said its aim is to “export more than 1,000 FA-50 aircraft over the next 20 years as we lower its production costs and improve its capabilities.”

It also said it was “pursuing exports to Malaysia, Colombia, Senegal, and countries in North America and Oceania.”

By Kim Jae-seob, senior staff writer

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