Seoul Seeks Economies From F-X Fighter Bids

Following delays of 6 to 8 months in its evaluation processes, South Korea is hovering on the brink of a decision on its long-standing major $3.3 billion F-X multi-role combat aircraft program. Its most recent move, however, was further deferral of promised selection earlier this year from best and final offers (BAFOs) from four RFP respondents.

For flight safety reasons, the RoKAF has limited its evaluations to twin-turbofan fighters, from which the Boeing F-15K, Dassault Rafale Mk 2, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Sukhoi Su-35 were finally short-listed. But in early January, the original BAFOs for initial procurement of some 40 of these types were rejected by the Defense Ministry in Seoul, as being beyond its projected program budget.

Revised BAFOs called for by February 4 left little scope for price reductions, although allowing possible improvements in industrial offset returns. Requirements for their increase from around 30% to 70% of the total contract value had already been put forward in April 2001 by the Seoul Defense Ministry, although Eurofighter's bid now reportedly includes offers of up to 100% in offset contracts.

Boeing has optimized its F-15K, with Raytheon AIM-9X and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, and Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) ASMs, in conjunction with a Boeing/Vision Systems Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), to become front-runner for Korea's F-X program. Procurement is also being sought by the Seoul government through the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) of 45 150 nm-plus range Boeing/MDC AGM-84H Stand-off Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) ASMs, costing an estimated $115 million, for its F-15Ks. DSCA approval has further been received for an unsolicited proposal for integration in RoKAF F-15Ks of MBDA's ASRAAM close-combat air-to-air missile.

ASRAAM also forms part of EADS CASA's South Korean Eurofighter package submission, together with AMRAAM, following similar DSCA clearance. Eurofighter's Typhoon further integrates close-combat AIM-9L/M Sidewinder and MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range AAMs, plus advanced air-to-surface weapons such as the short-range MBDA Brimstone and Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Export of the latter, however, is likely to be subject to MTCR treaty restrictions, as would its French SCALP EG version arming Rafale. Dassault's South Korean bid also includes MBDA MICA medium-range active radar-homing and Meteor AAMs, plus AM-39 Exocet anti-ship/attack missiles.

By John Fricker