Seoul To Flight-Test F-35 On Simulator, Draws Objections

Marking a major departure of traditional flight-testing during the procurement phase, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 will be tested on a simulator for South Korea’s FX-III project. As Seoul prepares to buy an advanced fleet of 60 stealth fighters, the country is currently reviewing bids from Boeing's F-15 SE, Lockheed's F-35 and EADS Eurofighter. While performance tests of the F-15 SE and the Eurofighter will be carried out through actual flights with a Korean pilot on board, Lockheed Martin has refused to allow flight testing, saying the fighter aircraft is still under development and is not in service, according to Yonhap News Agency. According to media reports, serious concerns have been raised over rising costs and the delay in the flight-test schedule of the single seat aircraft. It is also likely that the aircraft may not be available until 2020. "Because the F-35 is now under development, only F-35 pilots can fly it," a Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) was quoted as saying. Countering Lockheed, DAPA has asked that the defense giant conduct flight tests ‘with simulators and a Korean pilot on board a different fighter jet and tracking the F-35’, the official said. The winning supplier will be chosen in October and will be awarded a deal worth 10 trillion won (US$8.5 billion). Among the eight countries partaking in the largest weapons program in history are Britain, Canada and Turkey.