BEIJING, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's procurement department signed an agreement with the United States earlier this month to purchase another 20 F-35A fighter jets.
Yonhap News Agency said on the 27th that the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration signed an agreement with the United States on the 8th to purchase an additional 20 F-35A fighters, which are expected to be delivered in 2027.
On February 14, at Yerahhanka Air Base in Bangalore, India, U.S. Air Force F-35 fighters participated in the India Air Show. Xinhua News Agency South Korea received 40 F-35A fighters from 2019 to 2022. On January 4 last year, one of the warplanes made an emergency landing after hitting a bird in the air and causing a malfunction. Since the landing gear could not be lowered, the fighter landed on the belly. The plane was so badly damaged and expensive to repair that the South Korean Air Force decided earlier this month to retire it early.
South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration said that the combat and safety performance and bomb load of the newly ordered F-35A fighters will be enhanced. Including the 20 fighters purchased this time, the South Korean Air Force will have a total of 59 F-35A fighters.
In addition to South Korea, Japan, another major U.S. ally in the Asia-Pacific region, plans to equip 147 F-35 fighters. (Hui Xiaoshuang).