By In-Soo Nam
SEOUL--South Korea's Defence Ministry said Friday that it will
buy 40 stealth F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT)
starting in 2018 after its rejection in September of planes built
by rival Boeing Co. (BA).
The country's Joint Chiefs of Staff, however, said South Korea
will buy an additional 20 next-generation fighter jets from 2023,
adding that the purchase will not be restricted to F-35s, leaving
the door open for Boeing and other aircraft makers to make fresh
bids.
The budget for the purchases hasn't been set yet, it said.
South Korea's defence ministry said in September that Boeing's
F-15 fighter jet fell short of its operating needs and reopened the
bidding contest, in a move that highlights the challenge for global
military chiefs of balancing affordability with securing expensive
new technology.
Defence officials cited the need to address North Korea's
nuclear threat with stealthy, radar-evading jets, though other
regional tensions are also driving the preference for the latest
technology.
South Korean air force officials have consistently indicated
their preference for the F-35.
--Jeyup Kwaak contributed to this article.
Write to In-Soo Nam at in-soo.nam@wsj.com
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