According to the South Korean news agency Yonhap, citing the executive vice-president of KAI, the South Korean aircraft manufacturer obtained from the DAPA, the country's arms program development agency, the green light to develop a medium transport aircraft program in order to replace the majority of C-130 and C-235 in service in the air and naval forces of the country, for transport missions, but also maritime patrol. The timetable, the budgetary envelope and the performance of the target device have not yet been communicated, but KAI had announced last year that such a project would require 7 years of work and 2,7 Bn $ to be completed.
The South Korean aviation industry, and more generally the country's defense industry, has now reached sufficient industrial and technological maturity to carry out complex programs in autonomy, such as the design of combat aircraft or of submarines. This is how the first prototype of the K-FX Next Generation Hunter Program Including assembly started less than 2 years ago, is due to make its first taxi in a few days, on April 9, and that the first aerobic-powered attack submarine of KSS-III Dosan Ahn Changho class was launched in September 2018. The country has also developed several armored vehicles including its own heavy tank, the K2 Black Panther, the very efficient T-50 Golden Eagle training and light attack aircraft, helicopters Kai Surion et Lah, as well as various missiles ranging from Hong Sang Eo anti-submarine missile Huynmoo III cruise missile.
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