Indonesia, South Korea Sign Second Phase Of KFX/IFX Fighter Development Agreement

Indonesia and South Korea signed an agreement Monday for the second phase of the joint development of the Korean Fighter Experimental/Indonesian Fighter (KFX / IFX) aircraft, local media reported.

The development cooperation program is in three phases, including the technology development (TD), engineering and manufacturing development (EMD), as well as the production development (PD) phase.

The first phase (TD) of the program was completed in 2012. The Indonesian engineers from state-owned air framer Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) and officers from the Indonesian Air Force went to South Korea to discuss a number of development issues with their South Korean counterparts during this phase.

As per the agreement, the Korean industrial will be the main contractor and will negotiate a related cost-sharing agreement with the Indonesian defense ministry and the related workshare agreement with Industries Indonesia (PT DI).

The two sides have agreed on establishing a joint program management office (JMPO) for the implementation as per the agreement. The implementation includes overseeing the Korean industrial participant, the Indonesian industrial participant and the budgeting and spending / contracting competence.

The details of the task of JPMO are expected be signed before the start of the EMD phase by November 2015 end.

South Korea will conduct entire flight tests of six aircraft before handing over one prototype to Indonesia for final assembly, test and evaluation.

The final assembly production line and the build of the aircraft expenses will be borne by Indonesia. It will be actively involved in the production process of first and sixth aircraft throughout the flight test program.