Korea Planning to Export FA-50 Light Fighter to Peru

“We are looking to export 24 FA-50s to Peru at a combined price of approximately US$1 billion, and we will submit bidding documents this month to participate in the Peruvian government’s light attack aircraft procurement project,” said a military source on Feb. 3, adding, “The aircraft and the pilot training package are worth US$1 billion, and the amount is estimated to double when logistical support is counted in.”

The Peruvian Air Force is expected to choose its light attack aircraft in the latter half of this year. Candidates include Korea’s FA-50, Russia’s YAK-130, Italy’s M-346, and China’s L-15. 

Korea Aerospace Industries, the manufacturer of the FA-50, won the trainer project in Peru in November 2012 and supplied 20 KT-1 trainers at US$200 million. 

The FA-50 has a maximum speed of Mach 1.5, and is capable of carrying up to 4.5 tons of weapons, including JDAM and SFW as well as missiles, bombs, and machine guns. 

Korea has exported the T-50 series aircraft including the FA-50 to several countries. It exported 16 to Indonesia in 2011, 24 to Iraq in 2013, and 12 to the Philippines last year.