Korea Aerospace Signs 89.8 Bln Won Depot Maintenance Deal with DAPA

The country's sole aircraft manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), said Thursday it has signed an 89.8 billion won (US$84.7 million) contract with the government to carry out depot maintenance on FA-50s entering service with the Air Force.

The FA-50 is a fully armed, mission-capable light fighter attack aircraft that has been developed from the T-50 Golden Eagle advanced trainer.

The contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) calls for the KAI to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services for the single-engine supersonic jets.

Depot maintenance is the highest form of checkup conducted on an aircraft. The military is responsible for so-called organization and field maintenance works.

The aircraft manufacturer, located in Sacheon, some 437 kilometers southeast of Seoul, has been delivering the jets to the Air Force since August.

"A handful of jets have been delivered so far, with the original acquisition contract calling for 60 FA-50s," a representative of the aircraft company said.

South Korea ordered the FA-50s to deal with the gradual retirement of F-5 variants E and F, called the Tiger II fighters, and F-4 variant E, the Phantom II fighter-bombers, in the Air Force's inventory.

KAI, meanwhile, said a separate maintenance deal will be signed in the near future with Iraq after the company sealed a contract to sell 24 jets of the FA-50 to the Middle East country early this month.

Delivery of the jets will take place in 2015-16, with Seoul having agreed to provide maintenance support for the next 25 years. [via]