KAI 관계자는 "KF-21의 AESA 레이더에는 비밀 사항이 많다"고 귀띔했다.
www.joongang.co.kr
Put this article for ROK media Joongang. The writer has bit nationalistic jinggo, but I put it as it shown the development of latest KFX/KF-21 facilities in KAI. The article in Korean, but the sites have capability to be translate to english.
What the article point out:
1. KAI facilities and their domestic partner chain already prepared for full fabrication on overall KF-21 parts.
2. Any development for Blk 2 or Blk 3 (which KAI predict will be full Gen 5 standard), will need further development cycle. Means further investment from current development that limited into only Blk 1.
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is planning to develop a new ‘smart factory’ to support the production of its new KF-21 Boramae fighter aircraft.
www.janes.com
Also KAI build their KF-21 facilities with seperate budget from what they already pour into development of KFX/KF-21.
This just to shown (as this thread talking also on Indonesia participation on the project), that the present program only for Gen 4.5 Blk1. Further involvement for Indonesia on Blk 2 or Blk 3 need further investment, as Korea put it on seperate development program. Thus not automatically Indonesia will have access on KF-21 blk2 or blk 3 programs.
This is again shown what snippets that I got from 'finance' people on the program is true:
1. The owner of the program is ROK and KAI, while DI only tagging along,
2. Further Investment needed asside 20% involvement on development project to build Industrial Infrastructure for KFX Indonesian version.
3. Involvement with only 20% in the program, means Indonesia will not have 'license' toward building all parts (most likely only 20%), and there's no guarantee that the parts that build by DI will be used for any export KF-21 to other customers that KAI got.
I tend to believe information from 'finance' people then DI people. DI people as one just put in Kompas TV tend to 'cover' from public the fact, Indonesia involvement is as Junior Partner not much different then Industrial Licensing. The so call Joint Development agreement does not make Indonesia ownership on the program IP. Everything still own and control by ROK/KAI.
Finance people also already see the so call Joint Development agreement. It is by principe not much different with the International Status of International Partner in JSF (F-35). The status as partner not providing any ownership on the program. This in fact like Turkey that can be boot out from JSF/F-35 program, when US decide too. They just later on going to decide how to compensate Turkey on their 'shares' in the program.
So can Korea got other potential Partner to involve in the program, can they bring new one ? Off course they can. Can they bring other different partner for further development on Blk 2 and Blk 3 development ? Off course they can. Afterall more partner means more export potential.
So it is 'delusional' by some so call analyst in Indonesian media or fanboys in online forums that put Indonesia participations on the program is essential. With or without Indonesia, the program still going. Indonesia participation is minimal and just like Turkey in F-35, replaceable.
Will Indonesia stay in the program ? Again 50:50 until the payment 'dues' on program development is being paid.
Will Indonesia build their own Prototypes ? Back to condition that all the dues being paid and DI already got Investment to prepared their own facilities. Perhaps they can do it on existing facilities if the prototypes basically only final assembly from KAI parts.
Will Indonesia going to commited for 50 KF-21 Blk 1 as being put in original agreement ? That's back to Defense Budget capacities. Do Indonesia (especially next Administrations) have still enough capacities for another Fighter program after they have to paid Rafale (and potentially F-15ID) ?
That's the step that has to be taken. Paying out the dues will only mean Indonesia stay in the program. However not automatically means DI involvement in production until further Investment in DI for additional facilities, and even those steps two being taken, does not mean automatically there will be Indonesian version of KF-21 unless next administration willing to procure them.
Because all those steps practically different program and each need different Investment. This is how real projects management work.
Add:
I wrote this as Kompas TV put comment from DI People that Rafale agreement and KFX agreement is different.
In one hand he's true that the agreement construct is different. However even he admitted that Rafale agreement also has Industrial participation. However what that DI guy not shown to the public that Joint Development in KFX doesn't mean Indonesian as co-owner (as he's try to implied with 20% shares ownership). In the end Indonesia only got some part of Industrial relationship, thus not much different then licensing. That's DI people try to cover.
