Korea KTX-II (T-50, TA-50, FA-50) program

Weapon system modification and development refers to the modification and development of an existing weapon system to meet the requirements of the exporting country. To do this, the country proposes a project that reflects the exporting country's requirements and provides funding to the company to help develop it.

In the case of FA-50, the retrofitting and development support for a total of three projects contributed to the creation of exports to countries such as Poland and Malaysia.

1. The FA-50 used by the South Korean military was developed in consideration of its relatively small operational radius on the Korean Peninsula, so it is not competitive for export to countries with large territories, so modifications were made to install a probe-type aerial refueling system and a 300-gallon external fuel tank.

2. The RWR, CMDS, and C/D band antennas currently installed on the FA-50 have been discontinued or have been subject to export restrictions to some countries. To overcome this problem, the modification was developed and applied to the aircraft for the export countries.

This roadmap video provides a performance introduction to the ESR-500A and the testing schedule.

urban mine said:

Weapon system modification and development refers to the modification and development of an existing weapon system to meet the requirements of the exporting country. To do this, the country proposes a project that reflects the exporting country's requirements and provides funding to the company to help develop it.
View attachment 74630
In the case of FA-50, the retrofitting and development support for a total of three projects contributed to the creation of exports to countries such as Poland and Malaysia.
View attachment 74632
1. The FA-50 used by the South Korean military was developed in consideration of its relatively small operational radius on the Korean Peninsula, so it is not competitive for export to countries with large territories, so modifications were made to install a probe-type aerial refueling system and a 300-gallon external fuel tank.
View attachment 74631
2. The RWR, CMDS, and C/D band antennas currently installed on the FA-50 have been discontinued or have been subject to export restrictions to some countries. To overcome this problem, the modification was developed and applied to the aircraft for the export countries.

Click to expand...

Can Indonesian T50 added with refueling probe? If yes, can it be done in Indonesia or the aircraft need to be sent to SK?

NEKO said:

Can Indonesian T50 added with refueling probe? If yes, can it be done in Indonesia or the aircraft need to be sent to SK?

Click to expand...

The FA-50's aerial refueling capability is a modification of KAI's existing prototype aircraft, so I think it would be possible to modify the existing airframe. But to add this capability, you'd have to touch the fuselage, so I'm not sure, but if PTDI is willing to do it, it could be done. PTDI is also doing the F-16 MLU, right?
Perhaps engineers from Cobham, KAI will also have to travel to Indonesia to modify it locally.

KAI inks US$700 mln deal to export FA-50 aircraft to Manila​

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean defense firm Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) has signed a deal with the Philippine defense ministry to export 12 FA-50 light attack fighters, the state arms procurement agency said Wednesday.

The US$700 million deal signed on Tuesday marks the second round of FA-50 exports to Manila, following an initial supply of 12 jets in 2014, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

South Korea and Manila have been in talks over the FA-50 deal, with DAPA Minister Seok Jong-gun and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro discussing arms industry cooperation during their meeting in Manila in March.

The Philippines has introduced various South Korean-made weapons systems over the years, including FA-50 light attack aircraft, frigates and corvettes, emerging as Seoul's biggest arms trade partner in Southeast Asia.

The FA-50 has been exported to six countries, including Indonesia, Iraq, Malaysia, Poland and Thailand, so far.

I didn't really believe the posts on x claiming Cambodian accounts had reported Thai T-50s conducting bombing runs, but seeing the RTAF's official announcement, I can now believe it. As Cambodian media reported, the fact that they penetrated 100 kilometers into their own territory and bombed a weapons depot demonstrates just how inadequate Cambodia's air defense system is.

As far as I know, the Thai-spec T-50TH is equipped with survival systems such as RWR and CMDS. A modern air defense network would have rendered the T-50TH incapable of survival.

KAI Secures FA-50PH Upgrade Contract With Philippine Defense Ministry

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) announced on December 26 that it has signed a contract with the Philippine Department of National Defense (Department of National Defense) to upgrade the performance of the Philippine Air Force’s existing FA-50PH aircraft.

The contract is valued at approximately KRW 93 billion and covers performance upgrades and follow-on logistics support for 11 FA-50PH jets that were originally delivered between 2015 and 2017. The modernization and support program will run through 2029.

Under the upgrade program, the FA-50PH will gain enhanced precision-guided munitions capability, extended operational range, and improved mission endurance. Network-based interoperability will also be strengthened, enabling more effective combined and joint operations. Including additional aircraft contracted earlier this year, a total of 23 FA-50PH jets will now contribute to the modernization and airspace defense capabilities of the Philippine Air Force (Philippine Air Force).

The performance upgrades are based on operational requirements derived from real-world service experience, and the project is viewed as a model that integrates aircraft capability enhancement, stable long-term support, and sustained bilateral cooperation.



It's probably similar to the FA-50PL.