The T-50 Golden Eagle, formerly known as the KTX-2, jet trainer and light attack aircraft was built for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF). The aircraft was developed in the T-50A advanced trainer and T-50B lead in fighter trainer versions.
The T-50 LIFT is called the A-50 by the RoKAF.


The T-50 Golden Eagle, formerly known as the KTX-2, jet trainer and light attack aircraft was built for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF). The aircraft was developed in the T-50A advanced trainer and T-50B lead in fighter trainer versions.
The T-50 LIFT is called the A-50 by the RoKAF. The T-50 is designed to provide pilot training for current next-generation .

T-50 Golden Eagle programme and orders

 

The first flight of the T-50 took place in August 2002. The RoKAF has a requirement for 50 T-50 trainers and 44 T-50 LIFTs. RoKAF placed a production contract for the first 25 T-50 in December 2003 and the first production aircraft was rolled out in August 2005.
The first two aircraft were delivered to RoKAF in December 2005 and entered service in April 2007. A total of 13 aircraft were deployed for training purposes in 2007.
Two squadrons (30 to 40 aircraft) began operations by 2008. The 50th and final T-50 was delivered to the RoKAF in May 2010.

 "The first flight of the T-50 took place in August 2002."

One thousand flights have been completed in the test programme. The A-50 made its first flight in September 2003. A programme of weapon delivery flight testing was completed and deliveries of the A-50 began in 2009.
In December 2006, the RoKAF placed a second production contract for 50 T-50 and A-50 aircraft.
KAI developed a fighter version based on the T-50, called the FA-50 for the RoKAF, which has a requirement for 60 aircraft to replace the F-5.
In December 2011, KAI signed a production contract with Defense Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) to deliver 20 FA-50 aircraft by 2014. The aircraft obtained type certificate in November 2012. The FA-50 is fitted with air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, 20mm cannon, Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) and Sensor Fused Weapon (SFW).

The TA-50, the maiden armed variant of T-50, was introduced in January 2011 for deployment in lead-in fighter training operations. Indonesia awarded a $400m contract to KAI in May 2011 to supply 16 T-50s. Deliveries will be completed by the end of 2013.

Development of the T-50 Golden Eagle

 

The aircraft's development was funded 13% by Lockheed Martin, 17% by Korea Aerospace Industries and 70% by the Government of South Korea. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is the Republic of Korea's national aerospace company, established in 1999 with the consolidation of Samsung Aerospace, Daewoo Heavy Industries and the Hyundai Space and Aircraft Company. The T-50 was built at the KAI facility in Sachon.
KAI is the prime contractor and is responsible for the design of the fuselage and tail unit. The mid-mounted variable camber wings are manufactured by Lockheed Martin Fort Worth. Lockheed Martin is also responsible for the avionics and electrical flight control system, as well as for general technical consulting.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems and KAI created the T-50 International Company, known as TFIC, to pursue export markets outside Korea. The aircraft is considered as a candidate for the F-5 replacement market.

Cockpit

 

The full authority digital flight control system and avionics were developed by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Division at Fort Worth.
The flight equipment includes a navigation / attack system, a Honeywell H-764G embedded global positioning / inertial navigation system and HG9550 radar altimeter, Rockwell Collins VIR-130A integrated VOR / instrument landing system and ARN-153V advanced digital tactical aid to navigation, and Raytheon ARC-232 VHF radio.
The AN/APG-67(V)4 multi-mode radar, supplied by Lockheed Martin, is installed in the nose of the LIFT version.
The two-crew, tandem-stepped cockpit is fitted with an onboard oxygen generating system (OBOGS) and ejection seats supplied by Martin Baker of Uxbridge, UK.

T-50 weapons

 

The aircraft has seven external hardpoints for carrying weapons, one on the centreline under the fuselage, two hardpoints under each wing and an air-to-air missile launch rail at the two wingtips.
The wingtip launch rails can carry AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. The underwing and centreline hardpoints can carry rocket pods, air-to-surface missiles or air-to-air missiles according to the mission requirements, for example, AGM-65 Maverick missiles or mk82 / 83/ 84 bombs or rocket launchers.
In November 2005, the A-50 successfully test-fired an AIM-9L air-to-air missile.
A 20mm General Dynamics Armaments three-barrel M61 cannon is installed internally on the A-50 LIFT version. The gun is mounted behind the cockpit and carries 205 rounds of ammunition in a linear linkless feed system. The A-50 LIFT can carry electronic warfare pods and a radar warning receiver.

Engines

 

The T-50 Golden Eagle is powered by a single General Electric turbofan engine, type F404-GE-102, with full authority digital electronic control (FADEC). It is a derivative of the 402 with additional improvements in the turbine and afterburner. The engine has twin side-mounted air intakes on either side of the fuselage under the wing.
The engine, with a three-fan stage and seven axial stage arrangement, is equipped with full authority digital engine control and generates 78.7kN with afterburn.
The aircraft has seven internal fuel tanks, five in the fuselage and two in the wings, which can carry 2,655l of fuel with the option of three additional 570l external fuel tanks.
The aircraft is fitted with an Argo-Tech fuel system. The power generator is supplied by Hamilton Sundstrand.

Landing gear

The aircraft is equipped with Messier Dowty retractable tricycle-type landing gear. Each unit is single wheeled and fitted with oleo pneumatic shock absorbers. The main wheels are retracted into the trunks of the engine air intakes. The nose wheel retracts forward.

T-50 performance

The T-50 can fly at a maximum speed of 1,837km per hour. The range and service ceiling of the aircraft are 1,851km and 16,764m respectively. The service life is 10,000 hours.

Air Force
History
Founding years

Shortly after the end of World War II, 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 contributed 10 L-4 Grasshopper 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
F-51D fighters were among the first aircraft deployed by the ROKAF.

The 1950s were a critical time for the ROKAF as it expanded tremendously during the Korean War. At the outbreak of the war, the ROKAF consisted of 1,800 personnel but was equipped with only 20 trainer and liaison aircraft, including 10 T-6 Texan (Korean:건국기, Hanja: 建國機, Geongukgi) advanced trainers purchased from Canada. The North Korean air force had acquired a considerable number of Yak-9 and La-7 fighters from the Soviet Union, 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 F-51D Mustangs, along with a contingent of US Air Force instructor pilots under the command of Major Dean Hess. The ROKAF participated in bombing operations and flew independent sorties. After the war, the ROKAF Headquarters was moved to Daebangdong, Seoul. 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 trainers, F-86D night- and all-weather interceptors, F-5 fighters and F-4D 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.
The 1970s
The former ROKAF roundel similar to the American one. It was used until 2000.

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 and S-2s were also purchased at the time. Great emphasis was placed in the flight training program; new trainer aircraft (T-41 and T-37) 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:제공호, 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. When the 1988 Seoul Olympics was held in 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 fighters were obtained by South Korea in 1989.

South Korea committed its support for the coalition force during the Persian Gulf War. The Bima Unit was formed to participate in Operation Desert Storm. The ROKAF also provided airlift support for peacekeeping operations in Somalia 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 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.
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 and North Korean Air Force, which fields about twice as many aircraft (mostly older and obsolescent Soviet-designed fighters). As of 2008, the South Korean Air Force flew more than 180 KF-16, 174 F-5E/F, 130 F-4D/E, 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 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 FA-50. The South Korean variant the of F-15E were named the F-15K Slam Eagles due to their capability to launch the SLAM-ER 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 in 2003. Korean Aerospace Industries, the South Korean national aerospace company, has plans to export more KT-1 and T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer aircraft to other countries. In addition, the Ilyushin Il-103 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 remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) and a number of Joint Direct Attack Munition 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 to close this gap.