South Korea Orders Investigation In US Technology Denial For KF-X Fighter Jet Project

South Korea has ordered an investigation in the US denial of technology for the nation’s multi-billion dollar KF-X fighter jet project.

The US did not allow exports of four major technologies promised for the South Korean project in a decision made in April.

Under the project to build home-grown combat jets, Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) agreed with Lockheed Martin to obtain 25 kinds of fighter jet technologies as part of their 7.3 trillion won ($6.1 billion) deal to purchase 40 F-35 radar-evading fighters to be deployed between 2018 and 2021.  . 

US has denied export of the four technologies that were added later to the accord clearing the rest of 21 listed citing technology protection policy.

The decision on the remaining 21 is set to be made as early as November, but they have received a positive review so far, Korea Herald News daily reported Thursday. 

The four technologies denied include active electronically scanned array radar, electro optical targeting pod, infrared search-and-track and radio frequency jammer vital for building integrated systems.

South Korea plans to deploy 120 units by 2032. Officials at DAPA believe that they still can secure the technologies not from the US but other countries in Europe or research and development at home.

“We’ve been striving to come up with ways to develop them on our own by 2025. We’ve made numerous attempts to forge overseas partnerships and did receive positive responses from some European countries,” a DAPA official was quoted as saying by the news daily as saying.