Martin-Baker has been awarded a contract to provide the escape system for the Republic of Koreas Air Force’s new fighter, KF-X. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) competitively selected Martin-Baker’s Mk18 ejection seat for its latest aircraft development programme, the British company announced on March 23, 2018.
A KF-X mock-up showcased at ADEX 2017 airshow
The selection of the Mk18 seat continues a long history of partnership between Martin-Baker and KAI, that started with their KT-1, followed by the T/A-50 and is now is set to continue with the KF-X.
“We are extremely honoured to have been chosen as the ejection seat supplier for the KF-X. The Mk18 ejection seat is the most advanced ejection seat ever produced for fighter and trainer aircraft and another in a long line of successes for our company,” said Andrew Martin, Vice President of Business Development and Marketing.
“This selection is a testament to the competitive and high-quality products our team are proud to produce.”“From our first life saved nearly 70 years ago we have built upon our legacy of success,” Martin said. “Our products have saved the lives of 7,563 aircrew from around the world."
The Martin-Baker Mk18 for KF-X is a similar seat to the one currently in competition for the US Air Force new trainer jet, the T-X.
Martin-Baker, headquartered in Denham, England, is the world’s leading supplier of ejection seats and crashworthy seats, with more than 17,000 seats in service, in 90 countries and 56 different airframes. The company employs more than 1,000 people worldwide.
South Korea launched the KF-X project in 2015 with the aim of producing more than 120 cutting-edge fighters to replace its aging jet fleet of F-4s and F-5s.South Korea launched the KF-X project in 2015 with the aim of producing more than 120 cutting-edge fighters to replace its aging jet fleet of F-4s and F-5s.
It plans to pour a total of 18 trillion won (US$16 bn) into the project by 2026, with the production of six prototype jets scheduled to begin in July next year.
