FA-50 closer to the FAC? Colombia grants military airworthiness certification to South Korea

South Korea and Colombia signed an agreement to mutually recognize military airworthiness certification, reported the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). This would pave the way for the eventual incorporation of South Korean military aircraft into the Colombian Air Force, such as the FA-50 light combat aircraft.

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Airworthiness certification is the certificate issued by a country’s aeronautical authority in recognition that an aircraft complies with flight safety rules and standards. Under the signed agreement, Colombia will recognize South Korea’s airworthiness certification for South Korean-made aircraft, and vice versa, according to DAPA.

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This is the sixth mutual airworthiness certification recognition of military aircraft obtained by South Korea, after the United States, Spain, France, Australia and Poland, and the first with a South American country.

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Through this mutual recognition agreement, it will be possible to omit Colombia’s airworthiness certification for Korean aircraft in the future project to replace the Colombian Air Force’s (FAC) aging A-37B «Dragonfly» light attack aircraft. This is expected to help ensure the competitiveness of the Korean bid for the KAI FA-50 light fighter by reducing the time and cost required for certification.

The Korean aircraft competes against Italian firm Leonardo’s M-346FA, which is allegedly being offered at a lower price than the FA-50. To meet this challenge, South Korea is reportedly raising the stakes, putting on the table the eventual donation of maritime patrol boats and K1A1 tanks for the other Colombian Forces.

Kang Hwan-seok, deputy director of DAPA, said he hopes to expand military aircraft exports in South America and industrial cooperation in the region, for which the agreement between the two countries is important.

See also: KAI to test key technologies for manned and unmanned aerial teaming in modified FA-50

The South Korean government plans to continue to expand mutual recognition of airworthiness certification for military aircraft with export destinations in Europe, Southeast Asia and Central and South America.