The S. Korean Defense Ministry has decided to buy “hundreds” of JASSM(Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) class missiles. These missiles, which have a range of at least 400km, will arm the 21 additional F-15Ks that S. Korea is buying from Boeing.
There is speculation in the local media, that the government is buying these missiles in order to expand its options when it comes to targeting N. Korean nuclear facilities.
Just when things between the two Koreas are getting a bit hot.
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9 Comments
About time S. Korea takes a leading roll in its defense. I hope they only buy more.
F-15s are old and busted. If SK really wanted to take a leading role, they’d buy F22s and F35s, if they could.
#2.
S. Korea is looking into buying F-35s, as for the F-22s, the last time I checked, the Congressional ban on its export was still on.
“F-15s are old and busted.”
The South Korean F-15K is the newer “Strike Eagle” version, not the older variety F-15A-D that was grounded by the USAF for a while. The MiG-17, 19, 21, 23s that comprise the bulk of the North Korean Airforce are more fitting examples of “old and busted.”)
@#5
Isn’t it called “Slam Eagle”? Anyway, quite a difference between F-15Ks and previous F-15s, as I heard it too.
@#3
Was there a restriction on F-35s as well previously? They’re both (35 & 22) stealth-capable… I think…
#5.
The “Slam Eagle” is the ROKAF’s name for the F-15K, and with the exception of Israel which calls its F-15Is “Ra’am” the name “Strike Eagle” still applies to the other variants of the “mudhen” version of the F-15.
There are no export restrictions for the F-35. It was designed and built with export in mind.
However there are two versions of the F-35. One version will be for the nations that contributed to its development, including the UK, Netherlands, Denmark, and Turkey. The other version will be the true export version that will be available through the FMS(Foreign Military Sales) system. This one will have its stealth capabilities somewhat degraded, and will be the version that will be offered to S. Korea, Singapore, Israel, and Japan.
The MND missed the window to get on board the initial F-35 deliveries in 2014, but will probably pick up some a bit later. By the time the F-22 would be made available, unmanned fighters will probably rule the skies.
As for the F-15K being “old and busted,” I don’t think any of the DPRK pilots will find solace in that remark as they get their asses shot out of the sky in their MiG rust buckets. Nor will any nuke workers appreciate that comment as those JASSMs hit home.
#4,
Bingo. North Korea still flies the old Korean War era Migs, the ones whose controls are all rods and cables. Sure, these planes are practically impervious to electromagnetic pulses, but will be easily picked out of the sky by South Korean air defense missiles and are no match for F-15s in a dogfight…and that’s if they get off the ground.
#8 No match for the SK’s F-5’s or F-4’s as well.