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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| ROK Defense Ministry Pushes Stealth Bomber Purchase |
| 2011-11-21 |
| The Defense Ministry officially announced plans to purchase stealth bombers capable of avoiding radar detection to counter the threat of North Korea's so-called asymmetrical warfare capabilities. Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin told reporters on Tuesday the ministry will push for a stealth fighter acquisition project as part of the ongoing F-X fighter program. The third phase of the F-X program envisages buying 60 high-performance fighters such as the F-15K from the U.S. from around 2015. The Air Force wanted the third phase to start this year, but budget pressure and Cheong Wa Dae's resistance to hasty implementation of an acquisition program worth trillions of won have led to delays. It received a fresh spur last year when North Korea's military provocations became more unpredictable, China unveiled its home-grown J-20 stealth fighter jet and Japan announced plans to buy Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jets. The Air Force, Defense Ministry and Cheong Wa Dae now reportedly agree the purchase needs to be speeded up. The Air Force decided to launch the third phase of the F-X program next year and start buying stealth aircraft around 2015, since the country's F-4 Phantom and F-5 fighter jets are aging fast. The stealth fighters would allow the Air Force to launch air raids on strategic targets on its own without the support of the U.S. Forces Korea. Currently, the U.S. F-22 is seen as the world's best stealth fighter, but its overseas sale is banned until 2015. As a result, the F-35, another model whose performance is a little inferior to the F-22's, is mentioned as a potential candidate. Boeing's F-15SE Silent Eagle and Eurofighter's Typhoon are also possible candidates. But the Silent Eagle is only an adapted version of the F-15 with some stealth functions and the Typhoon was not developed as a full-blown stealth fighter in the first place, making the F-35 the preferred option. However, development of the F-35 keeps has been delayed and the price is expected to keep rising and exceed US$100 million. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #6 In an INTER-KOREAN MIL CONFLICT, Beijing wont care iff the DPRK is damaged as long as the ROK + US Milfors stay behind the DMZ, + NOT attempt to enter into the North. In addition, many CHINA MILBLOGGERS support PLA intervention in any war between the two Koreas, TO INCLUDE FORMAL CHIN ANNEXATION OF NORTH KOREA, iff it means keeping the "devil" US below the DMZ, or better yet leaving the Korean Peninsula in its entirety. THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT, AS IN THE FIRST KOREAN WAR 1950-1953, CHINA CAN ONCE AGAIN STONEWALL OR DEFEAT US + UN FORCES DESPITE ANY TECH INFERIORITY. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2011-11-21 22:09 |
| #5 After reading this + related Artics around the Net, my gut is telling me that the SOKOR's covert intent is to SELL/GIVE THIS STEALTH TECH TO NORTH KOREA, as hedge agz domination by China??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2011-11-21 21:59 |
| #4 Something worthy of an ROK investment would be the secret installation of 16" naval guns, emplaced like coastal artillery, but concealed inside fake buildings on the northern edge of Seoul. The idea would be rapid and effective counter-battery fire against the Nork guns, that would neutralize or destroy several of their mountain emplaced guns simultaneously. 16" rounds would rattle the heck out of the entire side of the mountain, even dug in granite. Such guns, inside a thick, reinforced, concrete shell would be close to invulnerable. Nork artillery, on the Soviet model, solely uses Target Reference Points for its fires, and they are almost incapable of lifting and shifting their fires. In effect, it would be like broadsides from an Iowa class battleship. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-11-21 09:34 |
| #3 Stealth Eagle is a great plane. And they already have F-15s in their logistics system. It is a no brainer. |
| Posted by: rammer 2011-11-21 07:57 |
| #2 Speed up the schedule. Buy more Hyundias. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2011-11-21 04:04 |
| #1 Potential buyers like the F35's advanced tech but love the F-15E's payload. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2011-11-21 00:59 |