Now is this a co-incidence or is this a co-incidence!
Pakistan, Peru Want to Buy Retired A-37s
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
Pakistan and Peru want to purchase South Korea's retired A-37 light attack aircraft, officials of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Monday.
Peru's air force chief of staff asked to buy A-37 aircraft during a meeting with DAPA commissioner Lee Sun-hi in October, a DAPA spokesman said. Lee visited the South American nation Oct. 20-23, he said.
Talks over the delivery of spare parts of the A-37 are also under way between the South Korean Air Force and Pakistani authorities, following a request for the deal in May via diplomatic channels, the official added.
``We are reviewing the requests from the two nations positively as part of efforts to enhance defense and diplomatic ties with them, as well as help expand South Korea's defense industry,'' an official of the Ministry of National Defense said.
The A-37, nicknamed Dragonfly, was developed in 1963 by modifying the Cessna-built T-37 trainer. The aircraft was used during the Vietnam War as a ground attacker.
The South Korean Air Force had operated the ``Black Eagles'' acrobatic flight team with A-37 jets since 1994. The team made its last air show appearance in October with A-37s, which will be replaced with indigenous T-50 supersonic jets.
In June, the Air Force decided to ground jets with an age of greater than 35 years including RF-5 reconnaissance planes and A-37Bs.
gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr
