Japan and South Korea upgrade F-15 fighters to keep them relevant
An F-15K Slam Eagle of South Korea’s air force takes off during Exercise Pitch Black 2024 in Australia. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
Japan and South Korea plan major enhancements to their F-15 programmes.
Japan and South Korea are modernising their F-15 fighter fleets. Japan has awarded Boeing a $450.5 million contract to upgrade the F-15J fighters in its Air Force, as announced by the US government on 10 December.
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) will modernise its fighters to the Japan Super Interceptor configuration.
This Foreign Military Sales (FMS) sole-source contract will see the first-phase acquisition of AN/APG-82(v)1 AESA radars, AN/ALQ-250 electronic warfare suites, AN/AAR-57 missile warning systems and advanced display Core Processor II mission computers. The work is expected to be completed by February 2030.
The award followed a $129.2 million
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![France earmarks further $11.6 billion for missiles and drones amid rearmament push]()
France earmarks further $11.6 billion for missiles and drones amid rearmament push
The revised funding allocation will see up to 23% of the additional budget put towards stockpiles of munitions, with the country’s GDP spending expected to reach 2.5% by 2030.
-
![UK SMEs remain vulnerable in effort to help build sovereign capabilities, JCNSS report warns]()
UK SMEs remain vulnerable in effort to help build sovereign capabilities, JCNSS report warns
The report comes as heads of industry bodies warn that the delayed defence spending plan has left smaller and medium sized businesses in stasis, unable to plan or seek out further investment.
-
![Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition]()
Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition
Norway first scoped the requirement in 2022, and included it in a defence strategy document in 2023. The announcement of a new framework agreement appears to have breathed fresh life into the effort.
-
![March Drone Digest: Long-range, low-cost loitering munitions are changing warfare economics]()
March Drone Digest: Long-range, low-cost loitering munitions are changing warfare economics
The effective use of the Shahed-136 in the Iran war has highlighted the need for countries to acquire a domestically produced, low-cost, long-range loitering munition, with the US, Turkey and European nations all at various stages of developing a similar capability.
