The PLA Daily reported on the South Korean FA50 fighter jet, opening up the Egyptian military trade market. This means that the J-10CE fighter jet will basically not be purchased by the Egyptian Air Force. The FA50 fighter jet has lower performance than the J-10CE fighter jet, but it is jointly developed by South Korea and the United States. Except for the engine, 70% of the remaining parts can be compatible with the F16 fighter jets of the Egyptian Air Force, greatly reducing the maintenance cost and difficulty of the fighter jet's availability and maintenance.
The FA50 fighter jet is very cheap, with a bare machine price of 36 million US dollars. The FA50 fighter jet can carry AIM7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles and can also be compatible with AIM120C air-to-air missiles, which are all equipped by the Egyptian F16 fighter jets. Therefore, in terms of weapons and ammunition, it can be shared with the existing equipment of the Egyptian Air Force.
Finally, the United States is pressuring Egypt to not buy the J-10CE fighter jet. The United States' geopolitical strength in the Middle East is also one of the reasons why Egypt dares not buy the J-10CE fighter jet.
Therefore, it has basically become a fact that Egypt will buy the South Korean FA50 fighter jet. Moreover, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines have all bought FA50 fighter jets. The main reason is that they are cheap, and they are somewhat similar to the American F16 fighter jets, so they can be directly used. However, in terms of capability, it is not good, because during the war between Thailand and Cambodia, Thailand deployed F16 fighter jets and Gripen fighter jets, but did not deploy the FA50 fighter jets, which indicates that the FA50 fighter jet's ground attack capability is insufficient, and it may only be able to conduct air combat, but its air combat level is not high either.
This FA50 fighter jet is actually a fighter jet specially designed by the United States for South Korea, allowing South Korea to sell its fighter jets. It does not have any special significance, as its capabilities do not reach the level of the F16 fighter jets.
Egypt buying a FA50 fighter jet that is worse than the F16 fighter jet, it is unknown what the purpose is. If it is to improve military capabilities, it should buy a better fighter jet, but instead it is going backward, buying a FA50 fighter jet that is even worse than the F16 fighter jet, it is unclear what they are thinking about.
However, many small and medium-sized countries also choose the FA50 fighter jet, because it is cheap, and its performance is slightly worse than the F16 fighter jet, but not too much, and still has certain combat power. So, South Korea is selling its own fighter jets through the American platform, which is still quite capable.
Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1840214234704906/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.