Republic of Korea Air Force - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROK Air Force, ROKAF, Hangul

Hangul

Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...

: 대한민국 공군, Hanja

Hanja

Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...

: 大韓民國空軍, Revised Romanization: Daehanminguk Gong-gun) is the air force

Air force

An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...

of South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

. It operates under the Ministry of National Defense.

The ROKAF has about 500 combat aircraft of American design, plus a few Russian, European, and indigenously designed aircraft.

Founding years

Shortly after the end of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the Korean Air Construction Association was founded on August 10, 1946 to publicize the importance of air power. Despite the then-scanty status of Korean armed forces, the first air unit was formed on May 5, 1948 under the direction of Dong Wi-bu, the forerunner to the modern Korean Ministry of National Defence. On September 13, 1949, the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

contributed 10 L-4 Grasshopper

Piper J-3

The Piper J-3 Cub is a small, simple, light aircraft that was built between 1937 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. With tandem seating, it was intended for flight training but became one of the most popular and best-known light aircraft of all time...

observation aircraft to the Korean air unit. An Army Air Academy was founded on January, 1949, and the ROKAF was officially founded on October, 1949.

The outbreak of the Korean War and the 1950s

The 1950s were a critical time for the ROKAF as it expanded tremendously during the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

. At the outbreak of the war, the ROKAF consisted of 1,800 personnel but was equipped with only 20 trainer and liaison aircraft

Liaison aircraft

A liaison aircraft is a small, usually unarmed aircraft primarily used by military forces for artillery observation or transporting commanders and messages. The concept developed before World War II and included also battlefield reconnaissance, air ambulance, column control, light cargo delivery...

, including 10 North American T-6 Texan

North American T-6 Texan

The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...

(Korean

Hangul

:건국기, Hanja

Hanja

: 建國機, Geongukgi) advanced trainers purchased from Canada

Royal Canadian Air Force

The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...

. The North Korean air force had acquired a considerable number of Yak-9

Yakovlev Yak-9

The Yakovlev Yak-9 was a single-engine fighter aircraft used by the Soviet Union in World War II and after. Fundamentally a lighter development of the Yak-7 with the same armament, it arrived at the front at the end of 1942. The Yak-9 had a lowered rear fuselage decking and all-around vision canopy...

and La-7

Lavochkin La-7

The Lavochkin La-7 was a piston-engined Soviet fighter developed during World War II by the Lavochkin Design Bureau . It was a development and refinement of the Lavochkin La-5, and the last in a family of aircraft that had begun with the LaGG-1 in 1938. Its first flight was in early 1944 and it...

fighters from the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

, dwarfing the ROKAF in terms of size and strength. However, during the course of the war, the ROKAF acquired 110 aircraft: 79 fighter-bombers, three fighter squadrons, and one fighter wing. The first combat aircraft received were North American F-51D Mustangs, along with a contingent of US Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

instructor pilots under the command of Major Dean Hess

Dean Hess

Dean E. Hess was an American minister and United States Air Force colonel who was involved in the so-called "Kiddy Car Airlift," the documented rescue of 950 orphans and 80 orphanage staff from the path of the Chinese advance during the Korean War on December 20, 1950...

. The ROKAF participated in bombing operations and flew independent sorties. After the war, the ROKAF Headquarters was moved to Daebangdong, Seoul

Seoul

Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...

. Air Force University was also founded in 1956.

The 1960s

To counter the threat of possible North Korean aggression, the ROKAF underwent a substantial capability enhancement. The ROKAF acquired T-28

T-28 Trojan

The North American Aviation T-28 Trojan is a piston-engined military trainer aircraft used by the United States Air Force and United States Navy beginning in the 1950s...

trainers, F-86D

F-86 Sabre

The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...

night- and all-weather interceptors, F-5 fighters and F-4D

F-4 Phantom II

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...

fighter bombers. Air Force Operations Command was established in 1961 to secure efficient command and control facilities. Air Force logistics Command was established in 1966, and emergency runways were constructed for emergency use during wartime. Eunma Unit was founded in 1966 to aid the United States during the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

The 1970s

The ROKAF was posed with a security risk, with an increasingly belligerent North Korea throughout the 1970s. The South Korean government increased its expenditure on the ROKAF, resulting in purchase of F-5E fighters in August 1974 and F-4E fighter bombers. Support aircraft, such as C-123s

C-123 Provider

The C-123 Provider was an American military transport aircraft designed by Chase Aircraft and subsequently built by Fairchild Aircraft for the United States Air Force...

and S-2s

S-2 Tracker

The Grumman S-2 Tracker was the first purpose-built, single airframe anti-submarine warfare aircraft to enter service with the US Navy. The Tracker was of conventional design with twin engines, a high wing and tricycle undercarriage. The type was exported to a number of navies around the world...

were also purchased at the time. Great emphasis was placed in the flight training program; new trainer aircraft (T-41

T-41 Mescalero

The Cessna T-41 Mescalero is a military version of the popular Cessna 172 used by the United States Air Force and Army as well as the armed forces of various other countries as a pilot training aircraft.-Design and development:...

and T-37

Cessna T-37

The Cessna T-37 Tweet is a small, economical twin-engine jet trainer-attack type aircraft which flew for decades as a primary trainer for the United States Air Force and in the air forces of several other nations...

) were purchased, and the Air Force Education & Training Command was also founded in 1973 to consolidate and enhance the quality of personnel training.

The 1980s and 1990s

The ROKAF concentrated on qualitative expansion of aircraft to catch up to the strength of North Korean Air Force. In 1982, Korean variants of the F-5E, the Jegong-ho (hangul

Hangul

:제공호, hanja

Hanja

:制空號) were first produced. The ROKAF gathered a good deal of information on the North Korean Air Force when Captain Lee Woong-pyeong, a North Korean pilot, defected to South Korea. The Korean Combat Operations Information center was soon formed and the Air Defence System was automated to attain air superiority against North Korea

North Korea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

. When the 1988 Seoul Olympics

1988 Summer Olympics

The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...

was held in South Korea

South Korea

, the ROKAF contributed to the success of this event by helping to oversee the entire security system. The ROKAF also moved its headquarters and the Air Force Education & Training Command to other locations. Forty F-16 Fighting Falcon

F-16 Fighting Falcon

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...

fighters were obtained by South Korea in 1989.

South Korea committed its support for the coalition force during the Persian Gulf War

Gulf War

The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...

. The Bima Unit was formed to participate in Operation Desert Storm. The ROKAF also provided airlift

Airlift

Airlift is the act of transporting people or cargo from point to point using aircraft.Airlift may also refer to:*Airlift , a suction device for moving sand and silt underwater-See also:...

support for peacekeeping operations in Somalia

Somalia

Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...

in 1993. The increased participation in international operations depicted the ROKAF's elevated international position. Over 180 KF-16 fighters of F-16 Block 52

F-16 Fighting Falcon

specifications were introduced as part of the Peace Bridge II & III program from 1994. In 1997, for the first time in Korean aviation history, female cadets were accepted into the Korean Air Force Academy

Korea Air Force Academy

Korea Air Force Academy is a Republic of Korea Air Force institution for the undergraduate education and military training of officers. It is located at Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea...

Present

South Korea maintains the modern South Korean Air Force in order to defend itself from various threats, including that of the North Korean Army

Korean People's Army

The Korean People's Army , also known as the Inmin Gun, are the military forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Jong-il is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defence Commission...

and North Korean Air Force

North Korean Air Force

The Korean People's Army Air Force, , is the name of the unified aviation forces of North Korea. The KPAF is the second-largest branch of the Korean People's Army with an estimated 110,000 personnel. It possesses between 1,600 and 1,700 aircraft of different types, mostly of Soviet and Chinese...

, which fields about twice as many aircraft (mostly older and obsolescent Soviet-designed fighters). As of 2008

2008 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 2008:-January:* 2 January – Asian Spirit Flight 321, an NAMC YS-11, overruns the runway while landing in Masbate City, Philippines...

, the South Korean Air Force flew more than 180 KF-16, 174 F-5E/F, 130 F-4D/E

F-4 Phantom II

, 39 F-15K (with 21 additional F-15Ks expected to be delivered between 2010 and 2012), and a number of South Korean-made T-50

T-50 Golden Eagle

The T-50 Golden Eagle is a family of South Korean supersonic advanced trainers and multirole fighters, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries beginning in the late 1990s. The T-50 is South Korea's first indigenous supersonic aircraft and one of the world's few supersonic trainers...

among its combat aircraft. The last of the old South Korean 60 F-5A/B fighters were all retired in August 2007, and they are being replaced with the F-15K and F/A-50. The South Korean variant the of F-15E were named the F-15K Slam Eagle due to their capability to launch the SLAM-ER

Standoff Land Attack Missile

The Standoff Land Attack Missile or SLAM is a subsonic, over-the-horizon, all-weather standoff cruise missile which grew out of the United States Navy's Harpoon anti-ship missile in the 1970s.-Original SLAM:...

missiles and Harpoon Missiles. South Korea became one of the world's few aircraft exporters when it sold 19 KT-1B trainer aircraft to Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

in 2003. Korean Aerospace Industries

Korean Aerospace Industries

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. is a South Korean aerospace company, originally a JV of Samsung Aerospace, Daewoo Heavy Industries , and Hyundai Space and Aircraft Company , which in 1999 took over its founding members at the behest of the Korean government following their financial troubles...

, the South Korean national aerospace company, has plans to export more KT-1 and T-50 Golden Eagle

T-50 Golden Eagle

supersonic trainer aircraft to other countries. In addition, the Ilyushin Il-103

Ilyushin Il-103

|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* -External links:* ....

prop-driven trainer has replaced the T-41 in the primary training role.

The Republic of Korea Air Force also expressed interests in acquiring the RQ-4 Global Hawk

RQ-4 Global Hawk

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is an unmanned aerial vehicle used by the United States Air Force and Navy as a surveillance aircraft....

remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) and a number of Joint Direct Attack Munition

Joint Direct Attack Munition

The Joint Direct Attack Munition is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs" into all-weather "smart" munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System receiver, giving them a published range of up to...

conversion kits to further improve its intelligence and offensive capabilities.

On 20 October 2009, Bruce S. Lemkin, deputy undersecretary of the U.S. Air Force said that the ROKAF's limited intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities increased the risk of instability on the Korean Peninsula and suggested the purchase of American systems such as the F-35 Lightning II

F-35 Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...

to close this gap.

Order of battle

Republic of Korea Air Force Headquarters (대한민국 공군본부)
Air Force Operations Command (공군작전사령부)

5th Tactical Airlift Wing (제5전술공수비행단), based at Busan-Gimhae
Gimhae International Airport
Gimhae International Airport is located on the western end of Busan, South Korea. It opened in 1976. A new international terminal opened on October 31, 2007. Gimhae International Airport is the main hub for Air Busan...

(ICAO RKPK/IATA PUS)

251st Tactical Air Support Squadron flying C-130H and C-130H-30
256th Tactical Air Support Squadron flying CN235-100M
258th Tactical Support Squadron flying CN235-100M and CN235-220M
259th Tactical Air Support Squadron flying UH-60P

15th Composite Wing (제15혼성비행단), based at Seongnam (ICAO RKSM/IATA SSN)

237th Tactical Control Squadron flying 20 KA-1
255th Special Operations Squadron flying C-130H
257th Tactical Air Transport Squadron flying C-130H

35th Combined Group

296th Special Transport Squadron flying the HS-748 (2 aircraft tail numbers 1713 and 1718), CN235-220M (2 aircraft tail numbers 02-050 and 02-051), Boeing 737-3Z6 (1 aircraft tail number 85-101), Sikorsky VH-60P and the new Sikorsky S-92 (3 helicopters tail numbers 05-035, 05-050 and 05-055)

6th Combat Control Team/Combat Search And Rescue Group (제6탐색구조비행전대)

Air Force Northern Combat Command (공군북부전투사령부)

8th Fighter Wing (제8전투비행단), based at Wonju
Wonju Airport
Wonju Airport is an airport in Wonju, South Korea . In 2006, 80,361 passengers utilized the airport.. The airport is mainly for military use. Only one parking space is capable of handling a Boeing 737.-Airlines and destinations:...

(ICAO RKNW/IATA WBJ)

103rd Fighter Squadron flying F-5E/F-5F/KF-5F
207th Fighter Squadron flying KF-5E and KF-5F
288th Electronic Fighter Squadron flying Harpy
IAI Harpy
-See also:...

10th Fighter Wing (제10전투비행단), based at Suwon
Suwon
Suwon is the provincial capital of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. A major city of over a million inhabitants, Suwon lies approximately south of Seoul. It is traditionally known as "The City of Filial Piety"....

(ICAO RKSW/IATA SWU)

101st Fighter Squadron flying KF-5E/KF-5F/F-5F
201st Fighter Squadron flying KF-5E/KF-5F/F-5F

39th Tactical Reconnaissance Group

131st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron flying 17 RF-4C Phantom

17th Fighter Wing (제17전투비행단), based at Cheongju
Cheongju Airport
Cheongju International Airport is an international airport near the city of Cheongju, South Korea. It also serves the city of Daejeon. It also houses the 17th fighter wing of the ROKAF...

(ICAO RKTU/IATA CJJ)

152nd Fighter Squadron flying F-4E
153rd Fighter Squadron flying F-4E
156th Fighter Squadron flying F-4E

29th Tactical Development & Training Group

191st Tactical Development & Training Squadron flying F-16C/D and KF-16C/D
192nd Tactical Development & Training Squadron flying F-5E/F and KF-5E/F

6th Search & Rescue Group

233rd Combat Search & Rescue Squadron flying Bell 412, Eurocopter AS532L/L2 Cougar and Sikorsky HH-60P helicopters
235th Combat Search & Rescue Squadron flying Kamov HH-32 (KA-32T) and Boeing Vertol HH-47D Chinook helicopters

18th Fighter Wing (제18전투비행단), based at Gangneung
Gangneung
Gangneung is a city in Gangwon-do, on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 229,869 . Gangneung is the economic centre of the Yeongdong region of eastern Gangwon Province. Gangneung has many tourist attractions, like Jeongdongjin, one of the most famous towns in Korea...

(ICAO RKNN/IATA KAG)

19th Fighter Wing (제19전투비행단), based at Chungju
Chungju
Chungju is a city in North Chungcheong province, South Korea. Namsan is a mountain located on the outskirts of the city.The city is famous for the annual martial arts festival held in October. Also of note, UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon grew up here....

(ICAO RKTU/IATA CJJ)

161st Fighter Squadron flying F-16C/D (Block32)
162nd Fighter Squadron flying F-16C/D (Block32)
155th Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)
159th Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)

20th Fighter Wing (제20전투비행단), based at Seosan
Seosan
Little is known of the early life of Seosan Daesa other than that he was born in 1520 and that he became a monk. As was common for monks in this time, he travelled from place to place, living in a succession of monasteries...

(ICAO RKTP)

120th Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)
121st Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)
123rd Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)
157th Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)

Air Force Southern Combat Command (공군남부전투사령부)

1st Fighter Wing (제1전투비행단), based at Gwangju
Gwangju Airport
Gwangju Airport is an airport in the city of Gwangju, South Korea and is managed by the Korea Airports Corporation...

(ICAO RKJJ/IATA KWJ)

11th Fighter Wing (제11전투비행단), based at Daegu
Daegu Airport
Daegu International Airport is primarily a domestic airport in the city of Daegu, South Korea. Asiana Airlines and Korean Air provide international flights to China and occasional charters to Fukuoka and Manila...

(ICAO RKTN/IATA TAE)

102nd Fighter Squadron flying F-15K
122nd Fighter Squadron flying F-15K
151st Fighter Squadron flying F-4D

16th Fighter Wing (제16전투비행단), based at Yecheon (ICAO RKTY/IATA YEC)

202nd Fighter Squadron flying F-5E/F-5F/KF-5F
216th Flying Training Squadron flying 16 T-59 (BAe Hawk Mk.67)

38th Fighter Group (제38전투비행전대), based at Gunsan
Gunsan Airport
Gunsan Airport is an airport serving Gunsan, a city in the North Jeolla province in South Korea. In 2007, 133,242 passengers utilized the airport. It shares the runway with Kunsan Air Base, which also utilizes the same IATA and ICAO location identifiers....

111th Fighter Squadron flying KF-16

Air Defence Artillery Command (방공포병사령부)

1st Air Defence Artillery Brigade (제1방공포병여단)
2nd Air Defence Artillery Brigade (제2방공포병여단)
3rd Air Defence Artillery Brigade (제3방공포병여단)

30th Air Defense and Control Wing (제30방공관제단), based at Osan
Osan Air Base
Osan Air Base , is a United States Air Force facility located in the Songtan section of Pyeongtaek City, South Korea, south of Seoul. Despite its name, Osan AB is not within Osan City, which is to the north. The base is the home of the Pacific Air Forces' 51st Fighter Wing, and a number of tenant...

(ICAO RKSO/IATA OSN)

1st Master Control and Report Center Group (제31중앙방공통제전대), based at Osan
Osan Air Base
Osan Air Base , is a United States Air Force facility located in the Songtan section of Pyeongtaek City, South Korea, south of Seoul. Despite its name, Osan AB is not within Osan City, which is to the north. The base is the home of the Pacific Air Forces' 51st Fighter Wing, and a number of tenant...

(ICAO RKSO/IATA OSN)
2nd Master Control and Report Center Group (제32중앙방공통제전대), based at Daegu
Daegu Airport
Daegu International Airport is primarily a domestic airport in the city of Daegu, South Korea. Asiana Airlines and Korean Air provide international flights to China and occasional charters to Fukuoka and Manila...

(ICAO RKTN/IATA TAE)
- Air Force Logistics Command (공군군수사령부)
Maintenance Depots (정비창)
Supply Depots (보급창)
Transportation Groups (수송단)
- Air Force Education & Training Command
  Republic of Korea Air Force Education and Training Command
  Republic of Korea Air Force Education and Training Command , located in Jinju, was established 1973. The command is one of the major commands of the Republic of Korea Air Force. The total area of the base is about 1.1 million square meters.-History:The Command traces its origin to the Air Education...
  
  (공군교육사령부)
Air Force University (공군대학)
Basic Military Training Wing (기본군사훈련단)
3rd Flying Training Wing (제3훈련비행단)
Air Force Aviation Science High School (공군항공과학고등학교)
Technical Schools (병과학교)
- Aerospace Projects Group
- Aerial Combat Development Group (공군전투발전단)
- Air Force Academy
  Korea Air Force Academy
  Korea Air Force Academy is a Republic of Korea Air Force institution for the undergraduate education and military training of officers. It is located at Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea...
  
  (공군사관학교)

F-X Phase 1

One of the most recent additions to the ROKAF is F-15K Slam Eagle (Korean

Korean language

Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...

: F-15K 슬램 이글

Hangul

), an advanced derivative of the F-15E Strike Eagle

F-15E Strike Eagle

The McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is an all-weather multirole fighter, derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. United States Air Force F-15E Strike...

which fulfilled the requirements of the "F-X" next generation fighter program in 2002

2002 in aviation

This is a list of aviation-related events from 2002:- Events :A depression in North American commercial aviation begins in the aftermath of economic recession and the September 11 attacks.-January:...

. The F-15K was chosen over the Dassault Rafale

Dassault Rafale

The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...

, the Eurofighter Typhoon

Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...

, and the Russian Sukhoi Su-35

Sukhoi Su-35

The Sukhoi Su-35 is a single-seat, twin-engined supermaneuverability multirole fighter. It is a derivative of the Su-27 'Flanker', and was initially known as the Su-27M. More than a dozen of these were built with some used by the Russian Knights aerobatic demonstration team...

. Although the Rafale fighter received more favorable reviews from the senior military officials, the F-15K was chosen at the end due to the easier process of integration into the ROKAF since the Air Force already has supplies of American-designed and made weapons that can be installed on the F-15K more readily than on the Rafale.

F-15K crash controversy

On June 7, 2006, an F-15K crashed off the coast of South Korea, during a nighttime intercept training mission, killing both pilots on board. The ROKAF commissioned a full investigation, lasting several months. The Republic of Korea Air Force later issued a public statement saying that the accident was apparently caused by both crew members entering a state of g-force Loss-of-Consciousness that lasted 16 seconds and resulted in loss of control of the aircraft. Various discussions included 1. the blackbox (ECSMU) was not recovered, due to the great depth (1200 ft) of the crash site. 2. F-15Ks are NOT equipped with automatic GLC (g-force Loss-of-Consciousness?) systems, and 3. the pilots were both seasoned Air Force veterans. Other factors considered in the investigation were the cloudy weather conditions, a night mission with the use of night vision goggles. Flight control engine parts that were found and analyzed as part of the investigation which ruled out mechanical problems with the aircraft.

F-X Phase 2

For the second phase of the F-X program, ROKAF has purchased 21 additional F-15K to compensate for the retirement of their F-5A/B in August 2007. The avionics configuration for the Phase 1 and 2 F-15K remains largely identical, and the only differences are that the weapon compatibility has been increased (AGM-158 JASSM

AGM-158 JASSM

The AGM-158 JASSM is a low observable standoff cruise missile developed in the United States. It is a large, semi-stealthy long-range weapon of the class. The missile's development began in 1995, but a number of problems during testing delayed its introduction into service until 2009...

, Bunker Busters

Bunker buster

A bunker buster is a bomb designed to penetrate hardened targets or targets buried deep underground.-Germany:Röchling shells were bunker-busting artillery shells, developed by German engineer August Cönders, based on the theory of increasing sectional density to improve penetration.They were tested...

, etc.) and that the engines have been switched from the F110-STW-129A to the F100-PW-229EEP, an improved version of the F100-PW-229. The new engines have commonality with the F100-PW-229 engines on the KF-16 and are compatible with each other, allowing ROKAF the option to interchange the engines among the KF-16 and Phase 2 F-15K. This allows the F-15K to be equipped with a KF-16's F100-PW-229 if necessary.

F-X Phase 3

The third phase of the F-X project is a bid for an advanced multi-role strike fighter aircraft by 2014, intended to replace the aging F-4 Phantom II

F-4 Phantom II

and F-5. The rumored purchase number is 40-60 aircraft (9 billion dollar project). The Korean Ministry of Defense has shown interest in the F-22 Raptor

F-22 Raptor

The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation supermaneuverable fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals...

, but the United States Department of Defense

United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

is unlikely to permit the export of this advanced stealth fighter. The only candidates remaining are the F-35 Lightning II

F-35 Lightning II

Joint Strike Fighter, the Eurofighter, the Sukhoi PAK FA

Sukhoi PAK FA

The Sukhoi PAK FA is a twin-engine jet fighter being developed by Sukhoi OKB for the Russian Air Force. The Sukhoi T-50 is the prototype for PAK FA. The PAK FA is one of only a handful of stealth jet programs globally...

, and the Boeing

Boeing

The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...

F-15SE Silent Eagle

The Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle is a proposed upgrade of the F-15E by Boeing using stealth features, such as internal weapons carriage and radar-absorbent material.-Design and development:...

. The contract is expected to be awarded in October 2012.

E-X Early warning aircraft program

The E-X Airborne Early Warning

Airborne Early Warning

An airborne early warning and control system is an airborne radar system designed to detect aircraft at long ranges and control and command the battle space in an air engagement by directing fighter and attack plane strikes...

(AEW) airplane program was a project undertaken by ROKAF to purchase early warning aircraft to strengthen ROKAF's ability to detect and distinguish between both friendly and hostile aircraft. The two candidates for this program are the Boeing Wedgetail

Boeing Wedgetail

The Boeing 737 AEW&C is a twin-engine airborne early warning and control aircraft. It is lighter than the 707-based Boeing E-3 Sentry, and mounts a fixed, electronically scanned, rather than a rotating, radar antenna. It was designed for the Royal Australian Air Force under "Project Wedgetail"...

, military version of the Boeing 737

Boeing 737

The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...

, and the Gulfstream G500/G550

Gulfstream G500/G550

The Gulfstream G500 and G550 are business jet aircraft produced by General Dynamics' Gulfstream Aerospace unit, located in Savannah, Georgia, USA. They are variants of the Gulfstream V. There are nine G500s, and 198 G550s in active service as of ....

, developed by the General Dynamics

General Dynamics

General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...

company of the U.S.

The AEW version of Boeing 737 was offered by the United States, whereas the variant of Gulfstream of G500/G550 was offered by Israel

Israel

The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

. Originally, ROKAF expressed interest in the Gulfstream as it was cheaper than the Boeing counterpart. The Gulfstream was, in turn, less capable than the 737. However, the fact that almost no other nations, barring Japan, has advanced AWACS gave the Koreans the impression that the Gulfstream would be adequate enough to handle the given task of the E-X project.

In response to ROKAF's favor of the Israeli version of Gulfstream's lower cost, the United States issued a warning to the Israelis that several of the AWACS technologies employed aboard the Israeli Gulfstream were developed by the United States, such as the IFF

Secondary surveillance radar

Secondary surveillance radar is a radar system used in air traffic control , that not only detects and measures the position of aircraft i.e. range and bearing, but also requests additional information from the aircraft itself such as its identity and altitude...

system, TADIL A/B (link 11) and J (link 16), satellite communications and AN/ARC-164 Have Quick II

HAVE QUICK

HAVE QUICK is a frequency-hopping system used to protect military UHF radio traffic.Since the end of World War II, U.S. and Allied military aircraft have used AM radios in the 225–400 MHz UHF band for short range air-to-air and ground-to-air communications...

radios, and thus that Israel was obliged not to resell any of these technologies to another country without the permission of the United States.

The winner of the AEW plane competition was chosen as the Boeing E-737 in November, 2006.

KF-X future fighter program

The KF-X program is a early-stage project to develop an indigenous fighter aircraft. The current proposal is to develop an F-16 Block 50 class aircraft with basic stealth capabilities to replace the F-4D/E Phantom II and F-5E/F Tiger II aircraft. South Korea is reportedly seeking technological assistance from Saab, Boeing and Lockheed Martin for the production of the KF-X. On 15 July 2010, the Indonesia government agreed to fund 20% of KF-X project cost in return of around 50 planes built for Indonesian Air Force after project completion. In September 2010, Indonesia sent a team of legal and aviation experts to South Korea to discuss copyright issues of the aircraft. In December 2010 the program shifted from a F-16 class fighter to a stealth aircraft in order to respond to North Korean pressure.

Aircraft

! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Origin
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Type
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Versions
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|In service
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Notes
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Fighter Aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...

|-
| Boeing F-15K Slam Eagle || || fighter-bomber || F-15K Slam Eagle || 52 (60) || 8 more under delivery until 2012; one crashed airplane is being replaced free of charge
ROKAF will receive a total of 61 F-15K
|-
| KAI FA-50 Golden Eagle || || attacker || FA-50 || 0 (60) || 60 to be produced starting from 2013 to replace F-5E/F
|-
| Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon || || fighter

fighter-trainer

fighter

fighter-trainer || F-16C B-32

F-16D B-32

KF-16C B-52

KF-16D B-52 || 28

44|| KF-16 built by KAI

Korean Aerospace Industries

under license
ROKAF received a total of 30 F-16C-32, 10 F-16D-32, 94 KF-16C-52, and 46 KF-16D-52)
|-
| McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II || || fighter-bomber || F-4E || 68 || to be replaced by 40 to 60 "F-X Phase 3" fighters between 2014-2018
|-
| Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II || || fighter

fighter-trainer

fighter

fighter-trainer || F-5E

F-5F

KF-5E

KF-5F|| 170 ||ROKAF received a total of 126 F-5E, 20 F-5F, 48 KF-5E, and 20 KF-5F
F-5E/F to be replaced by FA-50
KF-5 built by Korean Air under license between 1982 and 1986
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport Aircraft
Military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...

|-
| Avro 748

Avro 748

The Hawker Siddeley HS 748 is a medium-sized turboprop airliner originally designed by the British firm Avro in the late 1950s as a replacement for the now-aged DC-3s then in widespread service as feederliners. Avro concentrated on performance, notably for STOL operations, and found a dedicated...

|| || VIP transport || HS.748 || 2 ||
|-
| Boeing 737-300 || || VIP transport || 737-3Z8 || 1 ||
|-
| Boeing 747-400

Boeing 747-400

The Boeing 747-400 is a major development and the best-selling model of the Boeing 747 family of jet airliners. While retaining the four-engine wide-body layout of its predecessors, the 747-400 embodies numerous technological and structural changes to produce a more efficient airframe...

|| || VIP transport || 747-4B5 || 1 || Leased from Korean Air

Korean Air

Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. , operating as Korean Air, is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of South Korea, with global headquarters located in Seoul, South Korea. Korean Air's international passenger division and related subsidiary cargo division together serve 130 cities in 45...

|-
| CASA CN-235

CASA CN-235

The CASA/IPTN CN-235 is a medium-range twin-engined transport plane that was jointly developed by CASA of Spain and IPTN of Indonesia as a regional airliner and military transport. Its primary military roles include maritime patrol, surveillance, and air transport...

|| tactical transport || CN-235-100

CN-235-220 || 12

8 || built by CASA

built by Indonesian Aerospace (IPTN) 6 transport and 2 VVIP airplanes in the Indonesian batch
|-
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules || || tactical transport || C-130H

C-130H-30 || 8

4 ||
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Reconnaissance Aircraft
Reconnaissance aircraft
A reconnaissance aircraft is a manned military aircraft designed, or adapted, to carry out aerial reconnaissance.-History:The majority of World War I aircraft were reconnaissance designs...

|-
| BAe 125 Hawker 800 || || reconnaissance

signals intelligence || Hawker 800RA

Hawker 800SIG || 4

4 ||
|-
| McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II || || reconnaissance || RF-4C || 16 || ROKAF received a total of 27 RF-4C
|-
| KAI KA-1 Woongbi || || forward air control & liaison || KA-1 || 20 ||
|-
| Boeing 737 AEW&C || || AEW&C || 737-700IGW || 1 (4) || 4 to be delivered until 2012 under Peace Eye program
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Trainer Aircraft
|-
| BAE Hawk || || trainer || T-59 Hawk 67 || 16 ||
|-
| Ilyushin Il-103

Ilyushin Il-103

|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* -External links:* ....

|| || trainer || T-103 || 22 || ROKAF received a total of 23 Il-103 by Brown Bear Project
|-
| KAI KT-1 Woongbi || || trainer|| KT-1 || 84 || ROKAF received a total of 85 KT-1
|-
| KAI T-50 Golden Eagle || || advanced trainer

aerobatic specialized

LIFT/light attacker || T-50

T-50B

TA-50 || 50

10 (22) ||

|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Helicopters
|-
| Bell UH-1H Iroquis || || utility helicopter || UH-1H || 13 ||
|-
| Bell UH-1N Twin Huey || || transport helicopter || 212

UH-1N || 2

3 ||
|-
| Boeing CH-47 Chinook || || rescue helicopter || HH-47D || 7 ||
|-
| Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk || || VIP transport

rescue helicopter || VH-60P

HH-60P || 10 ||
|-
| Sikorsky S-92A Superhawk

Sikorsky S-92

The Sikorsky S-92 is a four-bladed twin-engine medium-lift helicopter built by Sikorsky Aircraft for the civil and military helicopter market. The S-92 was developed from the Sikorsky S-70 helicopter and has similar parts such as flight control and rotor systems.The H-92 Superhawk is a military...

|| || VIP transport helicopter || S-92A || 3 ||
|-
| Kamov Ka-32 Helix-C || || rescue helicopter || Ka-32T || 7 ||
|-
| Eurocopter AS 532 Cougar

Eurocopter Cougar

-See also:-External links:* *...

|| || VIP transport helicopter || AS 532 || 3 || built by Indonesian Aerospace (IPTN)
|}

Air Defense

MIM-104 Patriot

The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied nations. It is manufactured by the Raytheon Company of the United States. The Patriot System replaced the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary High to Medium...

|| || surface-to-air missile || PAC-2 GEM/T|| 6 batteries || former German Bundeswehr equipment; 48 fire units and 192 missiles
|-
| Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk || || surface-to-air missile ||HAWK-XXI|| 24 batteries || 600 MIM-23K missiles; Integrated with AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel
|-
| MBDA Mistral || || MANPADS |||| || To be replaced by KP-SAM
|}

Aircraft

North American T-6 Texan

Reconnaissance
|F-86F Sabre

Reconnaissance
|T-33A Shooting Star

Fighter-trainer

Reconnaissance
|F-5A Freedom Fighter

F-5B Freedom Fighter

RF-5A Freedom Fighter
|ROKAF received a total of 88 F-5A, 30 F-5B, and 8 RF-5A
36 F-5A and 8 RF-5A were donated to Republic of Vietnam
5 RF-5A were brought back from Republic of Vietnam after its fall
All F-5A/B retired by 2005
|-
|Douglas C-54 Skymaster
|1966
|
|Transport
|
|ROKAF received a total of 17 C-54
All C-54 retired by 1992
|-
|McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
|1969
|
|Fighter-bomber
|F-4D Phantom II
|ROKAF received a total of 92 F-4D
All F-4D retired by 2010
|-
|Grumman S-2 Tracker
|1970
|
|ASW aircraft
|S-2A Tracker
|ROKAF transferred the aircrafts to ROKN in 1976
ROKAF and ROKN received a total of 26 S-2A
|-
|Cessna T-41 Mescalero
|1972
|
|Trainer
|T-41B Mescalero
|ROKAF received a total of 27 T-41B
All T-41B retired by 2006
15 T-41B were donated to Philippines
|-
|Cessna T-37 Tweet
|1973
|
|Trainer
|T-37C Tweet
|ROKAF received a total of 55 (30 ex-Brazil) T-37C
All T-37C retired by 2004
|-
|Fairchild C-123 Provider
|1973
|
|Transport
|C-123K Provider
|ROKAF received a total of 22 C-123
All C-123K retired by 1994
|-
|Cessna O-2 Skymaster
|1974
|
|FAC aircraft
|O-2A Skymater
|All O-2A retired by 2006
|-
|Cessna A-37 Dragonfly
|1976
|
|Light attacker
|A-37B Dragonfly
|ROKAF received a total of 20 A-37B
All A-37B retired by 2007
8 A-37B were donated to Peru
|-
|Northrop T-38 Talon
|1999
|
|Trainer
|T-38A Talon
|ROKAF leased a total of 30 T-38A from the United States
All T-38A were returned to the United States by 2009
|-
|}

Military ranks

Officer ranks can be learned fairly easily if one sees the pattern. "So" equals small; "Jung" equals medium; "Dae" equals large. "Jun" equals the prefix sub-.. Each of these is coupled with "wi" equals company grade, "ryeong" equals field grade, and "jang" equals general. This system is due to the hanja

Hanja

or Sino-Korean origin of the names.

Commissioned officers

ROK Air Force rank	ROK Air Force insignia
Dae-jang Daejang Daejang is a senior military rank of the Korean Peninsula, used by both North and South Korea. It is considered the combined equivalent of a General and Admiral in other nations... (General)

Jung-jang (Lieutenant General)

So-jang (Major General)

Jun-jang Chunjang In Korean, Chunjiang may refer to:* Brigadier General. See Brigadier General#Korea* A black soybean paste used in jajangmyeon... (Brigadier General)

Dae-ryeong Taeryong Daeryeong is a Korean military rank used by the armed forces of South Korea. The rank is denoted by three large starbursts worn as a collar insignia. The rank is uniform throughout the Korean Army, Air force, and Navy. The equivalent rank is most western militaries in Colonel, with Captain... (Colonel)

Jung-ryeong Chungryong Chungryong , often spelled Chung-Ryong, is a South Korean officer rank which is considered the equivalent of a Lieutenant Colonel and also to a Commander in the Republic of Korea Navy.... (Lieutenant Colonel)

So-ryeong Soryong Soryong is a South Korean rank which is equvialent to a Major and to a Lieutenant Commander. The South Korean insignia consists of a single star burst collar insignia.... (Major)
Dae-wi Daewi Daewi is a military rank in both South Korean and North Korean militaries.In the South Korean military, Daewi is a Korean military rank used in the South Korea military... (Captain)

Jung-wi Chungwi Chungwi is the second most junior Korean officer rank in both the militaries of North and South Korea. It is considered the equivalent of a First Lieutenant in most other militaries.... (First Lieutenant)

So-wi Sowi Sowi is the junior most Korean officer rank in both the militaries of North and South Korea. It is considered the equivalent of a Second Lieutenant in most other militaries.... (Second Lieutenant)

Warrant officers

ROK Air Force rank	ROK Air Force insignia

Jun-wi Junwi Junwi is a Korean military rank which is the equivalent to a Warrant Officer in other countries. The rank of Junwi only exists in South Korea with the North Korean military having no equivalent.... (Warrant Officer)	²

Non-commissioned officers

ROK Air Force rank	ROK Air Force insignia

Won-sa (Chief Master Sergeant)

Sang-sa Sangsa Sangsa is a Korean military rank used by both the armed forces of North and South Korea. A Sangsa is the equivalent to a First Sergeant in most other militaries.... (Senior Master Sergeant)

Jung-sa Chungsa Jungsa is a Korean military rank used by the armed forces of South and North Koreas. A Jungsa is the equivalent to a Sergeant First Class.The rank of Jungsa is junior to a Sangsa in North and South Korea.... (Master Sergeant)

Ha-sa Hasa Hasa is a Korean military rank which is used in both the armed forces of North and South Korea. In both countries, the rank is considered the first non-commissioned officer grade and is generally considered the equivalent of a Corporal or Sergeant in western militaries.... (Technical Sergeant)

Enlisted

ROK Air Force rank	ROK Air Force insignia

Byeong-jang (Staff Sergeant)

Sang-byeong (Senior Airman)

Il-byeong (Airman First Class)

I-byeong (Airman)
Shinbyeong Byeong "'Byong"' or "'Byeong"' is a military term used in the armed forces of South Korea to describe a soldier, airman, sailor, or marine who holds a junior enlisted rank.The rank of Byeong is divided into four classes those being:... (Airman Basic)

¹: No one held the rank of Won-su in the history of the ROK Armed Forces yet.

²: The Jun-wi (Warrant Officer)'s insignia is in brass color while the ones of Second Lieutenant and higher are in silver color.

External links

ROK Air Force official website (Korean / English)
Korea Aerospace Industries(KAI) official website (Korean / English)
Foxmouse Airbase (Korean)
ROKAF (Republic of Korean Korea Air Force)

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.