KAI Mass-produces Supersonic
Advanced Trainer Jet
T-50 likely to dominate the global trainer jet market

Korea began mass production of its first-ever supersonic advanced trainer jet, T-50, marking a milestone in history of the domestic aerospace industry. With this achievement, Korea became the 12th country to produce a supersonic aircraft in the world.
About 2,000 people, including President Roh Moo-hyun, participated in a ceremony celebrating the first rollout of T-50 out of its assembly line in a factory of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy Lee Hee-beom, Yoo Jae-kun, chairman of the National Assembly Defense Committee, and KAI President-CEO Chung Hae-joo were also present.
President Roh said in his congratulatory speech said, "The first T-50 is a precious achievement combining our self-defense capabilities and aerospace science technology prowess, and Korea became the 12th nation to manufacture supersonic aircraft.
"The President lauded that the T-50 is one of the world's best trainer jets whose capability and safety have been proved by more than 1,000 test flights made in the past three years.
If projects like the development of A-50 attack jet, the introduction of next-generation fighters and airborne warning and control system project are comple-mented in a successive way, he said, Korean Air Force will be trans-formed into the most technologically advanced force in the future.
The T-50, christened as "Golden Eagle" by Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Han-ho, was jointly developed by KAI and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. of the United States under a 6,411.8 billion won project managed by Air Force. The parties involved launched the full-pledged development of the supersonic advanced trainer jet in 1997 following a five-year development feasibility period from 1992.
The supersonic trainer jet successfully underwent its maiden test flight in August 2002.
The T-50 has since been test-operated on 1,140, diverse test flights with difficult tasks, including aerial re-starting, low-altitude supersonic flight, and it is to be delivered to the Air Force next month in earnest.
The T-50 is a supersonic jet with a maximum speed of Mach 1.4. It is 13.13 meters long, 9.45 meters wide and 4.94 meters high.
It is designed to perform as an advanced trainer jet for pilots on training missions for such next-generation fighters as the F-16, F-15, Rafale and F-22, and the T-50 has maneuver capabilities equivalent to KF-16s and demonstrates excellent performance with its advanced electronics equipment and devices. It could be used as a light fighter.
The T-50 is considered to have top-level prowess in the global advanced trainer-cum-light fighter market where a majority of trainers are a subsonic jet. The supersonic advanced trainer jet, with a price competitive edge in relation to performance, is expected to flex its muscles on such markets as Europe where no development projects are planned, industry analysts said.
KAI said it was negotiating with European and Middle Eastern countries over the exports of the T-50.
It said that a market study by Teal Group, Virginia, the United States- based aerospace and defense consulting company, showed that the T-50 will conquer the global trainer jet market. The survey indicated that Korea could sell about 800-1,200 T-50s by 2030, accounting for 27 to 41 percent of the global trainer jet market, KAI officials said. nw

KAI President-CEO Chung Hae-joo

President Roh Moo-hyun takes a pilot's seat of Korea's first-ever supersonic advanced trainer jet, T-50 during a ceremony as Korea Aerospace Industries President-CEO Chung Hae-joo and others look on.