South Korean Fighter Fleets To Achieve 90% Modernization by 2033

Last week, the U.S. State Department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency approved a potential $5 billion deal for 25 more F-35A fighter jets for South Korea. Announced on Sept. 13 and still awaiting congressional approval, the deal also includes upgraded Pratt & Whitney engines and electronic warfare support.

South Korea’s fighter fleets are in a state of transition, with older legacy programs being replaced or upgraded to modern standards. Originally delivered in the 1970s, Korea’s final F-4Es are expected to be withdrawn by the end of 2024. Also outgoing is South Korea’s fleet of F-16C/Ds, which are expected to complete a fleetwide remanufacturing to the F-15V standard by 2026. South Korea is currently tied with Israel and Norway as the second-largest non-U.S. F-35 operator, with a fleet of 40. If adopted, the prospective deal would increase the country’s fleet of F-35s to 65.

Meanwhile, overall Korean fighter numbers are expected to balloon with the continued introduction of KAI’s KF-21 multi-role fighter, 160 of which are expected to be delivered by 2033. These fleet modernizations and replacements will result in a net increase of 129 fighters, or about 30% of the total 416 fighters in South Korean service by the end of the forecast period. Perhaps most significantly, 371 of those 416 fighters will be new or newly upgraded by 2033, meaning South Korean officials will have succeeded in upgrading about 90% of the country’s fighter capability in little more than a decade.

South Korea is an integral component of U.S. strategy in the Pacific Rim, as is F-35 proliferation among regional partners like Australia, Japan and Singapore. Observers can expect congressional approval for the new South Korean deal to occur swiftly as the U.S. continues shoring up its position in the region.