http://www.kois.go.kr/news/news/newsView.asp?serial_no=20071015011&part=104&SearchDay=&page=1
Korea likely to sell supersonic jets to UAE, Greece,
Singapore
Date: October 15, 2007
Korea is close to clinching contracts with Singapore, Greece, and
the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the sale of its T-50 Golden
Eagle supersonic trainer jets, a senior defense industry official
said Monday (Oct. 15).
"Korea is expected to sign the deals with the three nations this
month or next month," said Yoon Cha-young, executive director of
the Korea Aerospace Industries Association.
He said the UAE will likely procure more than 60 T-50s, while
Singapore and Greece are considering buying 30 and 40 jets,
respectively.
Korea developed the T-50 with its own technology and each jet is
priced around $20 million.
Yoon, who also serves as co-chairman of the organization committee
for the Seoul air show, added this year's event will serve as a
"turning point" for the country's efforts to export its advanced
weapons such as T-50, KT-1 Woongbi basic trainer plane, XK-2 tank,
K-9 self-propelled howitzer, and Cheonma self-propelled
surface-to-air missile.
"For more than 20 years, shipbuilding, automobiles, and information
technology products have been Korea's major export items. But from
now on, the defense industry will emerge as our main export field,"
Yoon said during a press briefing held in Seongnam, South of seoul,
on the eve of the opening of the six-day air show.
He emphasized that this week's air show will be a good opportunity
for Korea to market its weapons.
"We expect more than $500 million worth of export contracts during
the air show," he said.
Officially named "Korea Aerospace & Defense Exhibition 2007,"
this year's show brings together 256 defense firms from 26
countries.
"In particular, only 86 of the participants, or 30 percent, are
domestic companies, with the rest coming from foreign nations,"
said Yoon, formerly an Air Force brigade general.
Korea has hosted the event, which is becoming Asia's largest
defense fair, every two years since 1996.
To be displayed include the F-15C and F-16C fighter jets and A-10
anti-tank aircraft of the U.S., AH-64 Apache chopper, K-135 tanker,
as well as South Korea's F-15K and KF-16 aircraft.
