Aircraft
Jury remains out on T-50’s export potential
When Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) developed the T-50 Golden Eagle in partnership with Lockheed Martin in 2001 hopes were high in South Korea that the o

When Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) developed the T-50 Golden Eagle in partnership with Lockheed Martin in 2001 hopes were high in South Korea that the only supersonic trainer jet would become a hit around the world. Nine years later, industry opinion remains divided as to whether this potential will be fulfilled and what has actually been achieved to this end since KAI entered a joint marketing effort with Lockheed Martin in 2006.

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and KAI are jointly pushing for a first overseas sale of T-50, which they had hoped to achieve last year. The aircraft is on display here at the Singapore Airshow specifically to impress prospective customers here in Southeast Asia.