South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) confirmed the signing of a contract with the US government earlier this month for the acquisition of an additional 20 F-35A stealth fighter jets. This move aims to fortify South Korea's defense capabilities against potential military threats from North Korea.
The letter of acceptance for the purchase of these fighter jets, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, was inked on December 8 after receiving Washington's approval in September.
Presently, the South Korean Air Force possesses 39 F-35A fighters, having procured 40 units between 2019 and 2022. Recent decisions led to the retirement of an F-35A due to severe damage caused by a bird strike last year, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Scheduled for delivery to South Korea commencing in 2027, these 20 new F-35A stealth fighter jets are anticipated to boast advanced operational capabilities and heightened security features compared to the existing fleet, according to DAPA.
Renowned for its high-performance radar and stealth capacities, the F-35A stands as a crucial asset in South Korea's military arsenal, enabling it to execute long-range strategic strikes while remaining undetected by adversaries.
DAPA foresees this latest procurement as augmenting the military's "three-axis" defense strategy, encompassing the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation, a plan to neutralize North Korean leadership in a significant conflict; the pre-emptive strike platform known as Kill Chain; and the Korea Air and Missile Defense system.
South Korea's current inventory of fighter jets totals around 410 units, inclusive of F-35As, KF-16s, and F-15Ks, while North Korea reportedly possesses about 810 fighters, as per the 2022 Defense White Paper.
Notably, despite North Korea's larger fleet, their operational capability is significantly hindered due to poor maintenance caused by parts scarcity under UN sanctions imposed owing to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs, highlighted by Shin Jong-woo, a senior analyst at the Korea Defence & Security Forum.
Shin emphasized the substantial superiority of the F-35A over North Korea's aging fighter jet lineup, citing the North's most advanced aircraft as an early iteration of Russia's MiG-29 developed in the 1970s.
(With Agency Inputs)
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