Latest report quoted by the “Next Generation Weapons Technology” says that the Korean made FA-50 light fighter jet is now the choice for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
Only two weeks ago, they had reported that the Tejas Light Combat Fighter was the favourite.
The FA-50 Golden Eagle light combat aircraft is built by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
RMAF is looking to replace its aging Russian-made MIG-29 currently in service.
Other options for the replacement are the new Russian fighters such as the Yak-130 and MiG-35, also known as the MiG-29 M2 aircraft, and the Sino-Pakistani JF-17 fighter jets.
It is also reported that the South Korea’s Defence Minister Suh Wook met with his Malaysian counterpart Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation.
Suh had also used the opportunity to promote the FA-50 light attack aircraft.
Hishammuddin has indicated that the FA-50 is reliable and based on a good reputation.
The FA-50 aircraft was developed in collaboration with Lockheed Martin in the late 1990s and first introduced into service in 2005.
It is powered by a General Electric F404 turbofan, can reach speeds of Mach 1.5 and has a flight range of 1,850 kilometers (1,150 miles).
Recently, the Colombian Air Force (TA-50 and FA-50) and Thailand (T-50) have acquired aircrafts from KAI.
Well, let’s see if the FA-50 shows its presence at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) next year from May 23 to 27, 2023.
Source – Next Generation Weapons Technology