The South Korean advanced trainer fighter aircraft

The face of an advanced trainer fighter aircraft, T-50 Golden Eagle similar to the F-16 Fighting Falcon, but less than or about 80 percent of its original size. This is not surprising because from its initial development to train RoKAF (Republic of Korea Air Force) pilots to fly their F-16 aircraft.

The design is very similar to the F-16 fighter aircraft such as sweep back wings on the front (leading edge) complete with LERX (Leading Edge Root Extensions), missile launch rails on the wingtips, tail, speed brakes and landing gear. The different parts with the F-16 is air intake that located on the side of the fuselage under LERX.

The Golden Eagle is a supersonic fighter trainer aircraft made by the KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries) in collaboration with Lockheed Martin. The aircraft is designed as an advanced trainer fighter and a light attack fighter aircraft that capable of reaching supersonic speeds to train and prepare the pilots who manned the KF-16 (F-16 Korean version) aircraft.

T-50 Golden Eagle is a supersonic advanced trainers and multirole figher aircraft. (Picture from: http://www.sflorg.com/)

The T-50 Golden Eagle aircraft is developed two types of T-50 A for advanced training and T-50 B to LIFT (Lead In Fighter Trainer) which is also called A-50 by RoKAF. The aircraft is intended to prepare the 4th generation and 5th aircraft pilots such as the F-16, F-22 and JSF (Joint Strike Fighter), so that the aircraft has been equipped with modern facilities both engines, avionics and weaponry.

Specification of T-50 Golden Eagle. (Picture from: http://deadlyweapons-army.blogspot.com/)

As the prime contractor, KAI responsible for the airframe (fuselage) and the tail section design. While the Lockheed Martin in charge of designing the wings, avionics, electrical flight control system including preparing technical consulting in general (supervision).

T-50 Golden Eagle cockpit.  
(Picture from: http://teknologi.kompasiana.com/)

The South Korean Golden Eagle is controlled by a fly-by-wire system and HOTAS (Hand on throttle and stick) that allows the pilots can freely move the rudder blades, power, radar operation, including operation of the weapon only with the buttons that are already on throttle and stick. Similarly cockpit design that adopts the F-16 cockpit using the stick side. To facilitate the pilot to monitoring aircraft instrument, and on the cockpit mounted two the colored multi-function displays (MFDs) with size of 127 mm, a head-up display (HUD) that is supplied from British Aerospace (BAe).

The digital flight control system and components of aircraft avionics is done by the Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth which includes parts of the navigation and attack system, the Honneywell H-764 G GPS / INS (global positioning system / inertial navigation system) and HG 9550 radar altimeter, Rockwell Collins A integrated VIR-130 VOR / ILS (instrument landing system) and ARN-153 V advanced digital tactical aid to navigation and Raytheon ARC-232 VHF radio.

For the LIFT aircraft equipped with sophisticated AN / APG (V) 4 multi-mode radar. The radar is in compliance with beyond visual range (BVR) missiles with a range of tracking distant (> 4O NM/75 KM) even in conditions of high-G maneuvers. And the radar also very good for look-down engagement when detecting the hiding targets in the high ground and sea clutter. The aircraft is also equipped with on-board oxygen generating system (OBOGS) and ejection seat from Martin Baker, Uxbridge UK.

The South Korean T-50 Golden Eagle. (Picture from: http://www.globalsecurity.org/)

The Golden Eagle armament taken at five points along the wing and fuselage (hardpoints) in the center of the line (under the fuselage), under the left and right wing, as well as air-to-air weaponry mounted on launch rail at the end of each wing. Launch rail mounted on the tip of the wing is capable of carrying the AIM-9 Sidewinder and has been successfully tested to fire the AIM-9L in November, 2005.

Under the wings and the center line can carry rocket pods, air-to-surface missiles that are tailored to the needs of the flight missions such as MK-82/83/84 general purpose bombs, cluster bomb CBU-58, MK-20, AGM-65 Maverick and rocket launchers types of LAU-3 and LAU-68.

The RoKAF T-50 B for Lead In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) or A-50 Golden Eagle. (Picture from: http://www.xairforces.net/)

And for the LIFT type aircraft equipped with 20 mm caliber bullet with a 3-barrel M61 Cannon by the General Dynamics armaments. The LIFT is also equipped with electronic warfare pods as an electronic warfare support and radar learning receiver (RWR), which can provide information to the pilot if there is a threat from the enemy aircraft.

The aircraft flew using the turbofan F404-GE-102 engines that made by General Electric with full authority digital electronic control (FADEC) and an afterburner. The compressor consists of three stages and seven axial fan stage. The fuel and air flow mixture system in the combustion chamber is controlled by the FADEC that produces thrust of 79.1 kN with afterburner or 53.07 kN without afterburner. The aircraft has seven fuel tanks that spread on the wing and fuselage with a capacity of 2,655 liters of fuel plus reserves that can carry as much as 570 liters. With the ability to fly as well as the cost per hour is relatively inexpensive compared with other aircraft, so the aircraft T/A-50 Golden Eagle was rated by the observers is the advanced trainer fighter aircraft which is highly reliable and cost-effective.

The Ministry of Defence of Republik Indonesia will buy as many as 16 T/A-50 Golden Eagle aircrafts, which is planned to come in stages starting in 2014. This advanced trainer fighter aircraft used by the Indonesian Air Force (TNI - Angkatan Udara) which is stationed at 15th Air Squadron in Iswahjudi Air Force Base - Madiun, as the replacement for Hawk MK-53. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BINTANG YUDIANTA | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 23052013]
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