Here is another domestic military program that Korea hopes to have producing aircraft by 2013:

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has signed a contract with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to develop a light attack jet by 2012, officials said Tuesday.

The deal on systems integration and research-and-development is worth about 400 billion won ($317 million), they said.

Under the deal, KAI will modify and upgrade its four prototypes of the T-50 Golden Eagle trainer to advanced light attackers designated FA-50.

Once mass production starts by 2013, FA-50 fighters will replace A-37 attack jets and F-4/F-5 fighters in the low-tier backup to the Air Force’s high-end KF-16s and F-15Ks, and fifth-generation aircraft to be procured in the future, they added.

“DAPA and KAI signed a contract last Friday over the development of an indigenous light attack jet based on the T-50 platform,” a DAPA official told The Korea Times, asking not to be identified. “DAPA intends to buy about 60 FA-50s to start service in 2013, the same year mass production for export will begin.”

The Air Force wants to introduce up to 150 FA-50s to replace its older fighters, the official said.

Developed in 2006, the $21-million Mach 1.4 T-50 is South Korea’s first indigenous supersonic aircraft and the world’s only high-performance supersonic trainer in production. KAI is the prime contractor of the T-50 and Lockheed Martin of the United States is the principal subcontractor, assisting with development and international marketing.  [Korea Times]

This jet will be the Korean Air Force’s light attack aircraft, but even this jet will be able to fly circles around the vast majority of aircraft in the North Korean inventory.

It will be interesting to see if Korea has plans on whether this aircraft will be used primarily for the ROK Air Force or will it like other recently produced domestic military systems be oriented more towards the international market.