Colombia Selects Korean TA-50 and FA-50 as Next-Generation Trainer Aircraft

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The Colombian Air Force has chosen South Korea's 'TA-50' and 'FA-50' (Golden Eagle) as its next-generation trainer aircraft, according to a report by the U.S. military specialized media Defense News on the 30th (local time), citing sources from the Colombian military.

Defense News stated that although the Colombian Air Force denies ongoing negotiations with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for the purchase of Korean trainer aircraft, anonymous local sources revealed that the government acknowledges the Air Force's preference for Korean aircraft. It is known that the final competitor against Korea in Colombia's next-generation trainer aircraft project is Italy's Leonardo, which offers the M-346 advanced jet trainer.

The Golden Eagle was jointly developed with the U.S. company Lockheed Martin in the late 1990s and was deployed in 2005. It is equipped with GE's 'F404' engine, can fly at Mach 1.5 with a range of 1,850 km, and can carry short-range infrared-guided air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground weapons.

Defense News noted that Colombia is one of the countries that participated in the Korean War, so military cooperation with Korea is not new. In 2012, the Colombian Navy purchased the Korean-made SSM-700K anti-ship missile, and the Korean Navy donated used frigates to the Colombian Navy in 2014 and 2020.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.