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XavNN

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ADEX 2019: Hanwha Defense Unveils KAAV-II for ROK Marine Corps
ADEX-2019-Hanwha-Defense-Unveils-KAAV-II-for-ROK-Marine-Corps-3.jpg

At ADEX 2019, the air and defense exhibition currently held in Seoul, South Korea, local company Hanwha Defense unveiled a scale model of the future KAAV II amphibious assault vehicle.
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It seems like they took a very different approach here. They VLOed the aircraft but didn’t include internal weapons carry or integrated systems. Rather it’s like a Fourth gen with fifth gen profile.
DefenseNews says "4.5-generation"
:
South Korea’s future fighter program at risk, even as development moves along
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... and the Russian blogger
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says "4++"
 

Gloire_bb

Captain
Registered Member
It seems like they took a very different approach here. They VLOed the aircraft but didn’t include internal weapons carry or integrated systems. Rather it’s like a Fourth gen with fifth gen profile.
Well, this way they:
(1)Retain all advantages of 4th gen(unrestricted carriage of oversized ammunitions, number of suspension points, plug-in-play sensors)
(2)May very well be stealthy on some mission profiles(for example, when emitter looks from above, i.e. low-level penetration and a2a ambushes, or simply recon)

Downsides are clear, but they have F-35 anyways.
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
Well, this way they:
(1)Retain all advantages of 4th gen(unrestricted carriage of oversized ammunitions, number of suspension points, plug-in-play sensors)
F35 does have the option for external arms. This design only has recessed weapons for fuselage hard points which are just as restrictive as internal carry. Plug and play sensors in this case is matched in F35 by EOTS, adding such pods increases the RCS.
(2)May very well be stealthy on some mission profiles(for example, when emitter looks from above, i.e. low-level penetration and a2a ambushes, or simply recon)

Downsides are clear, but they have F-35 anyways.
by that same notion though F16 or F15 would be just the same.
The North Korean Airforce is antiquated at best. They maintain some semi modern systems Mig29 Mig21 but there main air defense is Surface to air missile systems.
 

Gloire_bb

Captain
Registered Member
F35 does have the option for external arms.
4(+4 internal) of them against 10(+2 for sensors). Or 2(+4 internal) against 8 if we use a pair of fuel tanks. It's fairly clear which is a better carrier of outsized munitions(or things like direct energy weapons) and weapon racks. Same reason as F-15X/EX, but in a somewhat smaller and newer domestic package.

This design only has recessed weapons for fuselage hard points which are just as restrictive as internal carry
Not necessarily. It's overly restrictive only if you want to keep drag to the minimum. Otherwise - much like on F-15, simply extend them into the flow. Btw, mockup actually shows this capability.
There is another detail, though: counterintuitively, but it may actually be more survivable with external munitions. Simply because self-defense suite can be built on the assumption what you'll be visible.
Unlike F-35, which prefers to avoid detection at all costs to begin with.

Plug and play sensors in this case is matched in F35 by EOTS
sensorS. ground attack-optimized EOTS is but a single option, which you always have to carry(btw notice what KFX have a dedicated EOTS as well, just a different one), and which is fairly bothersome to update(because you're physically restricted to the same slot). 10x as bothersome for foreign customers wanting to add something for themselves, because of American IP, source codes.

by that same notion though F16 or F15 would be just the same.
Upgraded airframe from 1970s is still an airframe from 1970s. 737max has shown this very clearly.
There are a lot of things which now can be done differently. Half a century has passed, after all.
Especially since they aim to develop their own industry.

The North Korean Airforce is antiquated at best.
North Korea isn't the only shark in the pond.
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
Although relations between the ROK and Japan have been better neither nation seems likely to pick a fight. Relations between the ROK and PRC are of late fairly good.
Russian relations are harder to gauge but hardly hostile though there are the long time territory disputes.

I can only figure the VLO is meant to be used on egress. Basically hit the targets drop extra ordinance and bug out.
 

XavNN

Junior Member
Registered Member
[Video] Coverage of #ADEX2019, the Seoul Airshow, from a maritime & naval defense perspective.

In between two naval defense shows (PACIFIC 2019 in Sydney, Australia and MADEX 2019 in Busan, South Korea) our team visited South Korea's Air and Defense exhibition ADEX 2019, also known as the Seoul Airshow.



We bring you exclusive coverage of this major defense show in Asia, from a naval point of view. Here are the things that caught our attention this year at ADEX:



0:36 - Hanwha Defense unveils KAAV-II amphibious assault vehicle for ROK Marine Corps

2:34 - ROK Navy is procuring P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) to replace is P-3C Orion

4:50 - Lockheed Martin is pitching the MH-60R Romeo for ROK Navy ASW helicopter requirement

5:57 - First F-35A fighters delivered to ROK Air Force and potential interest in F-35B STOVL aircraft by the ROK Navy

8:11 - The star of the show: The KF-X, South Korea's future stealth fighter

9:02 - LIG Nex1 future cruise missile for the KF-X, with potential

 
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