By Noor Soraya Mohammad Jamal
SACHEON (South Korea) Nov 25 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Malaysia is interested with the progress achieved by South Korea in the aerospace industry, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.
Speaking during his visit to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) facility here, the prime minister expressed his particular interest in the country’s fighter jet programme.
“I have always been interested in fighter planes and indigenous planes. I want to see how it perform and advancement of your aircraft industry, ” he told KAI’s CEO Ahn Hyun-ho who received him at the facility earlier.
A qualified pilot and an avid follower of aero technology, the Prime Minister arrived at the aerospace and defence facility by helicopter around 10.30 am local time.
Sacheon is located about 100km from Busan, the host city of ASEAN-South Korea Commemorative Summit 2019, where Dr Mahathir is scheduled to attend.
He spent more than two hours at the facility, during which he also had an hour meeting with the company’s top officials.
Dr Mahathir later toured the facility where he was briefed on KAI’s FA-50 Fighting Eagle light combat aircraft (LCA).
Also present during the visit was Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Ignatius Darell Leiking, Malaysian Ambassador to Korea Datuk Mohd Ashri Muda, and Malaysian Defence Attache in Seoul, Colonel Mohd Sobirin Mohd Yusof.
Malaysia is currently considering its option on LCA and is expected to formally launch a procurement effort to enable the air force to keep up with advanced technology and capability.
According to defence publication, Jane’s Defence Weekly, the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) plans to procure up to 36 LCAs with an option for 26 more to complement its current batch of Hawks, Sukhoi SU-30MKM and FA-18D Hornets fighter jets.
Governmental approval is expected in the first quarter of 2020.
The LCA is expected to serve several roles in RMAF including as LCA and Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT).
Among other types of LCA under consideration by RMAF besides Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 Fighting Eagle, are the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas; the Leonardo M-346; the Aero Vodochody L-39NG; the CAC L-15A/B; the CAC/PAC JF-17; the Saab Gripen; and the Yakovlev Yak-130.
— NNN-BERNAMA