On 4th, the Malaysian Air Force, which purchased Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)'s FA-50 fighter jets in 2023, will visit the KAI headquarters in Sacheon. As the production progress of the FA-50 for export to Malaysia has surpassed half, discussions regarding a secondary export between the two sides are also expected to advance.
According to industry sources on 20th, high-ranking officials from the Malaysian Armed Forces, including Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan, Chief of Staff of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), plan to visit the KAI headquarters this week to inspect the production line for the Malaysian export version of the FA-50. Earlier in February 2023, Malaysia signed a contract worth $920 million (approximately 1.3 trillion won) with KAI to purchase 18 FA-50 aircraft. This is the largest defense acquisition project in Malaysia's history, drawing significant attention locally.
KAI has fully commenced the production of the FA-50 for delivery to Malaysia since last year, with plans to deliver them sequentially starting in 2026. Recently, the progress of the production has reportedly exceeded 50%, moving ahead of the initial schedule.
The Malaysian export model (FA-50M) is the most improved version among the current FA-50 series, known as 'FA-50 Block 20,' featuring additional air refueling capabilities and weaponry enhancements. The FA-50M is equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which broadens detection capabilities, and incorporates Lockheed Martin's Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod for target acquisition, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
With the Malaysian Air Force's visit to KAI, discussions on the secondary export of the FA-50 are also expected to take place. The Malaysian Air Force plans to replace aging fighter jets in two phases. The first phase, consisting of 18 aircraft, included various models such as KAI's FA-50, India's Tejas, Pakistan's JF-17, Russia's MIG-35, and Turkey's Hurizet, and the FA-50 was selected.
The second phase, which will officially begin in 2026, will also involve the same scale of 18 aircraft as the first phase. The Malaysian Air Force has a policy of reducing operating models, making the FA-50 a favorable option.
Marketing for the domestically produced KF-21 fighter jet is also expected to take place. An industry official noted, 'The Malaysian Air Force plans to retire the F/A-18D and Su-30MKM, which have been in operation for a long time, and is seeking advanced fighter jets to replace them.'