Egypt Nears Deal for 100 South Korean FA-50 Jets

Egypt is nearing completion of a significant agreement with South Korea to purchase FA-50 light attack and training aircraft. This could change Egypt’s air force and strengthen ties between Cairo and Seoul.

It was said by Khaled Abdelrahman, the Egyptian ambassador to South Korea, that talks have moved forward and that both countries are hopeful that they can reach a deal soon. Months of talks have focused on placing an initial order for 36 planes. However, there are indications that future purchases could bring the total closer to 100 planes.

The Korea Daily, a South Korean news outlet, reported this event. It happens at a time when both countries are trying to grow their defense industries.  Egypt is trying to update its old fleet of trainers and light combat jets, and South Korea wants to make its mark on the global defense market.

The FA-50 is a supersonic plane made by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin, a major American aerospace company. It is meant to be used for both advanced pilot training and light combat.

Its popularity comes from the fact that it can be used in many different ways and doesn’t cost as much as more expensive fighters, like the F-16.  Egypt can use the plane to replace some of its old Alpha Jets, which it bought in the 1970s, and some of its K-8E trainers, which were made in China.

Yonhap News Agency

Ambassador Abdelrahman told Yonhap News Agency, “We hope the technical and detailed discussions between our institutions and Korean firms will lead to a successful outcome.”  He said this to show his faith in the negotiations. His words show a bigger strategic partnership that includes more than just military hardware. It also includes working together on energy, infrastructure, and technology.

Years of planning between the two countries led to this possible acquisition. Early in 2023, Egypt’s government-owned Arab Organisation for Industrialisation (AOI) signed a deal with KAI to look into making the FA-50 and its training version, the T-50, in Egypt.

Officials announced the deal on January 16 that year to leverage Egypt’s Helwan factory, which had already assembled K-8E jets under license. Cairo aims to bolster its air force and establish itself as a regional military equipment exporter. The deal includes technology transfer, a crucial aspect for Cairo.

Pyramids Air Show

According to Daily News Egypt, South Korean officials agreed with this view. KAI’s leaders said that Egypt’s choice of the FA-50 could “advance the Egyptian aviation industry and strengthen strategic partnerships across Africa and the Middle East.”

These talks are happening at the same time as a decisive moment in diplomatic relations. The relationship between Egypt and South Korea has been going strong for 30 years now, and it has only gotten stronger over that time. In February, Seok Jong-gun, who is in charge of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, went to Egypt to show how strong this momentum is.

Seok’s trip, where he led a group of defense companies, showed that Seoul wanted to make export deals, with the FA-50 being the main product they wanted to sell. In August 2022, the South Korean Black Eagles aerobatic team was the first foreign team to perform over the Giza Pyramids as part of the Pyramids Air Show.

Republic of Korea Air Force

This raised the plane’s profile. Many people thought that the display of T-50 jets was an attempt to get Egyptian officials and the public interested in the planes’ capabilities.

Egypt wants the FA-50 because it is useful and important for their future plans. It has one of the biggest air forces in the area, and its fleet includes both new planes like the French Rafale and old planes from the Soviet era like MiG-29s.

But its training and light attack capabilities have slipped because it relies too much on the Alpha Jet and K-8E, which don’t have the latest electronics or the ability to fight like newer systems.  The FA-50, which has a tactical datalink, precision-guided weapons, and self-defense systems, acts as a link between basic trainers and fighters on the front lines.

ISIS-linked militants

According to Army Recognition, South Korean sources say Egypt might need as many as 70 to 100 planes, which is enough to replace its whole Alpha Jet fleet and some of its K-8E aircraft. The plane has been used before and worked well. The FA-50 joined the Republic of Korea Air Force in 2013. It was based on the T-50 trainer, which came out in 2005 as South Korea’s first homegrown supersonic plane.

Since then, several countries have deployed the combat version, including the Philippines, which used it against ISIS-linked militants in Marawi in 2017, and Poland, which ordered 48 units in 2022. Malaysia and Thailand have also become operators. In fact, Thailand has added 14 more T-50TH trainers to its fleet.

T The FA-50 has established a strong reputation in the global market by appealing to countries seeking affordable platforms that can effectively perform their roles. It costs about half as much as an F-16 and needs less maintenance. For Egypt, the deal means more than just that. The country wants to improve its defense industry by making more things in the country, in addition to improving its air force.

AOI-KAI agreement

As AOI’s Helwan facility has a history of putting together foreign designs, it is ready to make up to 70 of the jets in China if the full order comes through. The 2023 AOI-KAI agreement says that Cairo wants to be a center for sending weapons to Africa and the Arab world. This move fits with that goal.

Egyptian officials haven’t publicly shared the deal’s total cost. However, experts estimate the first 36 jets may exceed $1 billion. That figure depends on aircraft configurations and support packages. Meanwhile, South Korea could gain significantly from the agreement.

KAI has aggressively pursued global exports in recent years. It’s already landed multi-billion-dollar defense contracts across several countries. KAI’s big wins include a $3 billion deal with Poland. It also secured a $919 million contract from Malaysia.

These deals highlight KAI’s growing influence in the defense market. In both cases, KAI beat India’s Tejas in head-to-head competition. Egypt is another possible winner, which adds to the FA-50’s reputation as a worthy alternative to Western and Chinese products.

A senior KAI executive named Lee Bong-keun told Yonhap News Agency that the plane’s low cost, high perforMance and quick delivery times make it a fantastic choice.  Thai Defense Minister Sutin Klungsang agreed, saying that he heard a pitch for the FA-50 while he was recently in Seoul.

NATO-standard infrastructure

There is some competition in the talks. Egypt has considered the Leonardo M-346 (Italy), Yak-130 (Russia), and Tejas (India). Each one came with an offer to help Egypt make the planes and transfer technology.

Times Aerospace reports that Italy proposed a larger $10 billion arms deal to Egypt. It includes 24 M-346 trainers, Eurofighter Typhoons, and naval ships. India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited also offered to build a Tejas production line in Egypt. However, it hasn’t secured a firm export agreement yet.

The FA-50 may have the advantage due to its proven service record. South Korea is also open to involving Egyptian manufacturers in production. This approach helped South Korea win Peru’s order for 20 to 24 FA-50s last year. Egypt has steadily modernized its air force over the years.

After retiring F-4E Phantoms and Mirage 5s, it moved toward a mixed fleet. The country bought Rafales in 2015 and briefly considered Russia’s Su-35. That deal collapsed due to U.S. sanctions pressure. The FA-50 fits Egypt’s strategy of balancing performance with political flexibility. It offers solid capability without the baggage tied to Russian equipment.

Still, there are questions about compatibility with Egypt’s Western-style command systems. KAI says the FA-50 works with NATO-standard infrastructure, easing those concerns. As talks wrap up, both sides are fine-tuning the deal.

Conclusion

Egypt likely wants better financing and tech-sharing terms. Meanwhile, KAI sees long-term opportunities in Africa and the Middle East. The ambassador’s optimism suggests a breakthrough may be near. No official date has been announced yet.

If approved, Egypt could receive the first FA-50s within a few years. Local production would follow shortly after, boosting Egypt’s defense industry. For now, the main focus is still on finalizing the first order for 36 jets. Both Egypt’s military and South Korea’s emergence as a defense exporter would significantly benefit from this development. Whatever happens will have an effect on air forces and alliances for years to come, both in the region and beyond.

References

1. Korea Daily—Egypt nears a game-changing 100 FA-50 jet deal with South Korea. Source
2. Yonhap News Agency – Egypt and South Korea progress in FA-50 negotiations Source
3. Daily News Egypt – FA-50 deal could boost Egyptian aviation industry. Source
4. Army Recognition—South Korea’s FA-50 jets and Egypt’s air force plans Source
5. Times Aerospace – Competition between FA-50, M-346, Yak-130, and Tejas Source