Update: Pilot deaths put F-15 deal in doubt
From June 8: The crash this week of two F-15s flown by the South Korean Air Force has revived Korean anger over the Bush administration’s heavy-handed pressure campaign on Seoul to buy its next generation of fighter jets from Boeing rather than the French firm Dassault.
From the Korea Times:
“The crash…seemed to back the critics’ claim that the Air Force’s decision to choose Boeing over a French competitor was due to the influence of the country’s strong military alliance with the United States. Critics complained of its relatively high price and some questionable software problems. Observers predict that a legal battle between the South Korean Air Force and Boeing is a looming possibility over damages if a technical problem turns out to be the cause of the crash. The fighter jet is not covered by insurance.”
More on the Korean FX program here and here. The pro-DPRK daily People’s Korea reported on the controversy in 2002.
