Page 4 - Seoul ADEX 2021 Day 2 Online Magazine

ROKAF’S F-35A F-35A provides the Republic of Korea Air
Force (ROKAF) an enhanced capability
to protect safety and security, an official
ON DISPLAY FOR at Lockheed Martin, makers of the air-
craft, said. The country is also planning to
add 20 more F-35 aircraft to its fleet in a
FIRST TIME US$3.3 billion purchase. The government
is also preparing to launch the second
phase of acquiring the F-X III (F-35).

The F-35A is the U.S. Air Force’s latest
fifth-generation fighter. With its aero-
dynamic performance and advanced
integrated avionics, the F-35A will pro-
vide next-generation stealth, enhanced
situational awareness, and reduced vul-
nerability for the United States and allied
nations. According to Lockheed Martin,
South Korea displayed its newly pur- (IOC) for its expanding fleet of the F-35A the conventional takeoff and landing
chased US-made F-35 stealth fighter Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fight- (CTOL) F-35A gives the Air Force the
jets to the general public for the first time ers. “We experienced some delay in the power to dominate the skies – anytime,
at the ongoing ADEX2021 since the air- delivery due to the COVID-19 situation, anywhere. The F-35A is an agile, versatile,
craft was first delivered to the country’s but through South Korea-U.S. coordina- high-performance, 9G capable multirole
Air Force unit in 2019. During the 2019 tion, the delivery has been normalized as fighter that combines stealth, sensor
show, a mock-up of the stealth fighter was planned,” Defence Acquisition Program fusion and unprecedented situational
on display. The United States, as of last Administration (DAPA) noted in a parlia- awareness. Because logistics support
October, has delivered 24 F-35A stealth mentary audit report. accounts for two-thirds of an aircraft’s
jets to the South Korean military. Under its The agreement for 40 F-35As valued life cycle cost, the F-35 is designed to
biggest-ever weapons purchase, South $6.4 billion was signed in 2014. Seoul achieve unprecedented levels of reliabil-
Korea is to buy 40 F-35 fighter jets from is currently completing the construction ity and maintainability, combined with a
Lockheed Martin. In December 2019 the of facilities to store the fighters. The highly responsive support and training
Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Republic of Korea (ROK) faces a com- system linked with the latest in informa-
had declared initial operating capability plex threat environment and the stealth tion technology, it said.

HYUNDAI ROTEM GROUP installed and performs the mission based
on the video of the drone on board.
SHOWCASES DEFENCE DRONE “It is a totally new concept and one for
the future,” says Seung Yong Lee, Senior
PROTOTYPE veillance and reconnaissance. The vehicle Research Engineer with the Hyundai
is designed to have a cruising range of Rotem Advanced Technology Research
The Hyundai Rotem Group has show- 450-500 km and would be capable of team. “This is going to being about a big
cased the prototype of its futuristic both remote and autonomous driving. improvement in operational capability. It
Defence Drone at the ongoing show. The Equipped with front and back indepen- is for the South Korean military, but I am
multipurpose mission vehicle is based on dent steering system, Defence Drone confident that the vehicle will have takers
hydrogen fuel cell and is designed for sur- has a Remote-Control Weapon Station in the international market as well.” About
two years in development, the Defence
Drone is expected to enter the market in
2025-2026. “We are considering making
a commercial version of the vehicle, but
we certainly have the military version as
our priority,” said Yong Lee.
The use of hydrogen fuel cell technology
on the drone is part of Hyundai’s overall
focus. The South Korean Ministries of
National Defence (MND), Environment,
and Trade, Industry & Energy are coop-
erating with Hyundai Motor Company
and Doosan Mobility Innovation to deploy
hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and
unmanned aerial vehicles for the Armed
Forces. A hydrogen refueling station is
also in the works. The MND will purchase
10 hydrogen buses in a pilot program and
study the feasibility of using hydrogen
drones for military use.

4 | OCTOBER 20, 2021 WWW .GBP .COM.SG/DAIL YNEWS