A consortium between Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. and Lockheed Martin Corp. is well-positioned to win the US Navy’s advanced jet trainer contract, estimated at 10 trillion won ($7.2 billion), while Boeing Co. faces challenges demonstrating the reliability of its new aircraft model, according to South Korea’s defense industry sources.
The US Navy has issued requests for proposals to replace the aging T-45 Goshawk, manufactured by Boeing, as part of its Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program.
Bids are due in December, with a preferred supplier expected to be selected in 2026. It will finalize the selection in January 2027 to procure between 145 and 220 jet training aircraft.
“KAI has a very high chance of winning the bid,” a South Korean defense industry official said on Tuesday. “A first-of-its-kind development may be on the on the horizon.”
If the KAI-Lockheed Martin group secures the contract, it would mark the first time a Korean-made aircraft enters service with the US Navy.
The KAI-Lockheed Martin consortium is pitching the TF-50N, a variant of the T-50 Golden Eagle, which is South Korea’s first homegrown jet training aircraft.
They are used in combat operations by South Korea’s Air Force, as well as in Indonesia, Iraq and the Philippines.
KAI will be responsible for manufacturing the plane’s airframe, while Lockheed Martin oversees the integration of software components.
BOEING TEAMS UP WITH SAAB
Boeing is promoting the T-7B, a derivative of its T-7A Red Hawk, in partnership with Saab, a Swedish aerospace company.
The Boeing-Saab alliance was previously viewed as the strongest contender after they secured a 12-trillion-won contract in 2018 to supply the T-7A to the US Air Force, beating the KAI-Lockheed Martin team.
However, delivery of the T-7A aircraft has been pushed back to 2026 from the original schedule of 2023 due to testing and production issues.
“Since Boeing has yet to deliver the T-7A to the US Air Force, the US Navy might feel it burdensome to pick T-7B, a follow-up model of the T-7A,” said a Korean aviation industry official.
“The Boeing engineers’ strike that has lasted more than a month is also eroding confidence in the company,” he added.
Boeing engineers have been in walkout for more than a month demanding a 40-50% wage increase, a move that would place upward pressure on its manufacturing costs.
CUSTOMIZED STRATEGY
KAI is focusing on a customized strategy to develop technologies that address the issues Boeing has raised with Boeing.
It has also modified cockpit seating and interior space to better accommodate the physical build of American pilots.
Other bidders for the US Navy jet trainer competition include Leonardo S.p.A. The Italian defense company is presenting the Beechcraft M-346N in partnership with Textron Aviation Defense.
Korean aviation industry observers say the consortium lacks a track record in overseas deliveries and practical operations of the model, compared with the KAI-Lockheed alliance.
By Sang-Hoon Sung
uphoon@hankyung.com
Yeonhee Kim edited this article.
