Advertisement

March 30, 2020 / 5:22 PM

State Dept. approves $194M upgrade deal for South Korea's F-16s

The State Department approved a $194 million sale of upgrades to South Korea's fleet of F-16 fighter planes. Photo courtesy of Republic of Korea Air Force

The State Department approved a $194 million sale of upgrades to South Korea's fleet of F-16 fighter planes. Photo courtesy of Republic of Korea Air Force

March 30 (UPI) -- The State Department approved a sale of upgrades to South Korea's F-16 fighter planes, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Monday.

The $194 million sale, expected to be approved by Congress, calls for South Korea to obtain Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe equipment, known as IFF, and Link 16 Technical Datalink equipment for its F-16 Block 32 fleet.

Advertisement

IFF, in use since the 1940s and improved regularly, identifies and tracks military aircraft, and Mode 5 is the most recent implementation of the system. It uses waveform modulation, coding, and cryptographic techniques to quickly determine the identity and heading of an aircraft.

Link 16 is a military data link network allowing military ships and aircraft to share tactical picture of a situation in real time, and offers an offers an exchange of text messages, imagery data and two channels of digital voice transmission. Each system is currently in use by NATO countries.

The proposed deal includes the sale of radios, Combined Interrogator Transponders, a Joint Mission Planning upgrade, secure voice modules, crypto fill devices, aircraft ferry support, training, integration support and test equipment, and contractor, engineering, technical and logistics support services.

Advertisement

The Republic of Korea Air Force has 180 F-16s, in two variants.

Read More

Topics
Logistics Support

Austin visits Ukraine, voices U.S. support against Russian aggression

Defense News // 2 years ago

Austin visits Ukraine, voices U.S. support against Russian aggression

Oct. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Ukraine continues to have U.S. support against Russian aggression and is free to decide its own foreign policy during a visit to Kyiv Tuesday.

Citing Russian occupation, U.S. signs new defense pact with Georgia

Defense News // 2 years ago

Citing Russian occupation, U.S. signs new defense pact with Georgia

Oct. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed a new security agreement with Georgia Monday, seeking to buttress relations with the Black Sea nation as it continues to face Russian troops in two of its regions.

Pentagon orders all civilian employees to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 22

Defense News // 2 years ago

Pentagon orders all civilian employees to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 22

Oct. 4 (UPI) -- The Pentagon on Monday ordered all Department of Defense civilian employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by no later than Nov. 22.

Army investigating suspected suicides of three Fort Drum soldiers

Defense News // 2 years ago

Army investigating suspected suicides of three Fort Drum soldiers

Sept. 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army is investigating the suspected suicides of three soldiers based at New York's Fort Drum.

Four Marines remain hospitalized month after suicide bombing at Afghan airport

Defense News // 2 years ago

Four Marines remain hospitalized month after suicide bombing at Afghan airport

Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Four U.S. Marines remain hospitalized after an attack near Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, last month as service members were evacuating foreign nationals and refugees.

South Korean firm to supply rapid COVID-19 test kits to U.S. military

Defense News // 2 years ago

South Korean firm to supply rapid COVID-19 test kits to U.S. military

SEOUL, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- South Korean biopharmaceutical firm Celltrion has agreed to supply its DiaTrust rapid COVID-19 test kit to the U.S. military.

Army tests MK-22 Precision Sniper Rifle at Fort Bragg ahead of fielding

Defense News // 2 years ago

Army tests MK-22 Precision Sniper Rifle at Fort Bragg ahead of fielding

Sept. 23 (UPI) -- The Army has successfully tested the MK-22 Precision Sniper Rifle to clear it for fielding.

U.S. Navy, Bahrain partner to ramp up unmanned systems use

Defense News // 2 years ago

U.S. Navy, Bahrain partner to ramp up unmanned systems use

Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Bahraini leaders committed Thursday to partnering with a new U.S. Navy task force to ramp up new unmanned system efforts.

U.S. F-16 fighter jets intercept Cessna during U.N. General Assembly

Defense News // 2 years ago

U.S. F-16 fighter jets intercept Cessna during U.N. General Assembly

Sept. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. fighter jets escorted a small plane flown by a U.S. Army soldier out of restricted air space over New York City during the United Nations General Assembly.

U.S. Space Force to take over SATCOM operations from Army, Navy

Defense News // 2 years ago

U.S. Space Force to take over SATCOM operations from Army, Navy

Sept. 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. Space Force will take over satellite communications billets, funding and mission responsibility from the U.S. Army and Navy, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement