Indonesian Defense Ministry has signed an agreement for the purchase of 16 T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainers to replace Indonesia's BAE Systems Hawk 53s. T-50 Golden Eagle is developed by the South Korean firm of Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) and the American firm of Lockheed Martin. Total deal will be worth $400 million.
This is the first export order for the Total investment in the T-50’s RDT&E program amounted to more than $2 billion: 70% from the Korean government, 17% from KAI, and 13% from Lockheed Martin.
Korea will supply first T-50 Golden Eagle with one and half years of signing of a loan agreement between two countries. T-50 is designed to bridge the gap between basic flight training and high-performance fighters. T-50 / A-50 "Golden Eagle" is designed as an advanced supersonic trainer and light strike-capable aircraft.
T-50 Golden Eagle is powered by the General Electric F404 engines which will be produced by the Korea Aerospace Industries. Fighter Jet Trainers will be shipped to Indonesia partially disassembled form and final assembly will be done by the Indonesian Aerospace (IAe).
T-50 Golden Eagle is offered in many versions including T-50 jet trainers, T/A-50 trainer which can also be used as secondary fighter jets and F/A-50 which offers full range of attack capabilities. Earlier South Korean T-50 Fighter Jet Trainer lost competitions in both the United Arab Emirates and Singapore to the Alenia Aermacchi M-346.
T-50 Golden Eagle is also participating in the T-50 Israel and the America's T-X competition. Israeli Air Force is likely to make final decision in 2012 and will choose one of the jet trainers from the T-50 and M-346 to replaces its A-4 Skyhawk trainers.
Total investment in the T-50 Golden Eagle was over $2 billion: 70% from the Korean government, 17% from KAI, and 13% from Lockheed Martin.
T-50 Golden Eagle
Length------------------------------------------12.98m
Height-------------------------------------------4,78m
Wingspan----------------------------------------9.11m
Empty Weights----------------------------------6,263kg
Maximum takeoff gross weight------------------11,974kg
Engine------------------------------------------F404-GE-102 with 17,700 pounds of thrust.
Maximum rate of climb-------------------------39,000 feet per minute
Maximum speed--------------------------------Mach 1.5.
Service ceiling----------------------------------48,500 feet
Trainer airframe life-----------------------------10,000-hour service life
Size---------------------------------------------80% of the F-16
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