Southeast Asia to be the stepping stone for South Korean arms exports; Engine problems lead to grounding of entire F-35 Fleet
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    • According to reports, South Korea is aiming the Southeast Asian arms market in order to increase its arms export. South’s jets and ships are becoming popular in Southeast Asia. Trainer jets are in the forefront of Seoul’s export push in Southeast Asia. In a recent development, South Korea and the Philippines have begun negotiations to export South Korea’s 12 FA-50 fighter aircraft to the later. The FA-50 is a modified variant of the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet built by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Many other Southeast Asian nations like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia have also evinced interest in various jet and naval ship programmes of South Korea. 1
    In another development, reports noted that Pentagon has suspended all test flights for the entire Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet due to engine problems. The program is facing increased scrutiny over cost and performance issues from U.S lawmakers and senior DoD officials. Unlike the last suspension, which was only for the B variant, this suspension affects all three variants: the F-35A Air Force conventional takeoff version, the F35-B for the Marines, and the F35-C carrier variant for the Navy. 2

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