JoongAng Daily, The head of the Korean Air Force, General Lee Han-ho, told lawmakers yesterday at a hearing that additional purchases of F-15K fighter jets from U.S.-based Boeing Co. are under consideration.
The Korean Air Force originally contracted to purchase 40 F-15Ks between 2002 to 2008, with a budget of 4 trillion won ($3.7 billion).
Earlier, the government official said any additional planes would be acquired after 2008.
The F-15 is a dual-role fighter that can conduct air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
Military experts have long argued that in order to counter North Korea's long-range artillery, which is mainly in deep caves and bunkers, an aircraft is needed that could attack such places with special munitions known as Bunker Busters. The F-15 is capable of delivering that type of ordnance.
