- Yes
- No
- South Korean Tree
- South Korea + North Korea sub tree
Hello, and welcome to my suggestion for the South Korean Air Forces tech tree. This is somewhat of a direct continuation of my first post for the Ground Forces tech tree and as such is starting at tier IV. This will make it similar to the Israeli tech tree as it is implemented in game currently, and makes sense due to the history of the Republic of Korea Air Force in which is what founded after the end of World War II and its splitting with Japan. During the early stages, the Republic of Korea Air Force (hereon referred to as ROKAF) was no more than a simple training wing, with no more than 1,800 personnel across its entirety. This drastically changed upon the start of the Korean War, where the USAF was tasked with improving the efficacy of the ROKAF, by training the pilots in needed experience and skills, as well as donating a large number of F-51D fighters to combat the North Korean Yak-9 and La-7’s donated by the Chinese and Soviet Union.
After the ending of the Korean War, the ties with the United States only grew stronger, and even to this day there are cooperative agreements with the United States and companies that work with them, that have such a high level of trust that may not even be afforded to NATO countries. The most recent example of this being the KF-21 Boramae which has major contributions from the US Air development firm Lockheed Martin. This tree would have most of its force be made up of modifications of US aircraft, and is more of a supplement to a ground tree. As such there will also be a second tech tree at the bottom that will include one line of North Korean vehicles to supplement the basic tech tree if that would be needed for implementation.
Tech Tree:
Hereafter, I will provide a list of the vehicles so that I may explain them in greater detail, as well as provide context for each of their inclusions inside of the tree.
Vehicles with a * next to their name are indicated as such due to them being too modern for the current game, and as such would be a later addition.
Vehicles:
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Tier 4
Spoiler
Branch 1
T-28
The T-28 Trojan was the second trainer the ROKAF obtained from the USAF in an attempt to bolster the power of the Korean Airforce. It was only used as a trainer, and never used during the Korean War, but one of the models was converted to a D model, which gave it two underwing hardpoints capable of mounting .50 caliber machine guns.
Pictures:
T-37C
The T-37C Tweet is another trainer sent by the USAF to supplement the need for jet trainers in the ROKAF. This would provide an invaluable amount of help in training the Koreans in jets, while also allowing for there to be a secondary co-pilot in case the pilot was unable to control it on his own.
Pictures:
Branch 2
F-51D-30-NT
Coming from the proud family of the P-51, the F-51D-30-NT has a few differences over its counterparts already in game. The F designation as opposed to the P designation occurred in 1947 when the USAF split from the US Army. The D-30-NT has almost everything you’d expect from the D-30 already found in game, however the propellers are different, being the Hamilton Standard 4-blade version that had a more flat tip.
Tier 5
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Branch 1
F-86F-40
The ROKAF F-86-F40 would be functionally identical to the one already in game in the Japanese tech tree.
Pictures:
Branch 2
A-37B
Cessna made quite an aircraft in the A-37B Dragonfly. Compared to its predecessor, the T-37 Tweet, the Dragonfly had expanded in size to be almost double its former, and had almost three times the thrust to make up for it, making it possible to push it to a maximum speed of 816 km/h. This version also was mounted with an internal 7.62 minigun in the nose. While the caliber in game doesn’t seem large, when you’re putting 6000 rounds per minute downrange, I don’t think anyone wants to be one the receiving end. The plane was also capable of loading 8 hardpoints with dumb bombs, or SAU/11A or B gunpods, which also contained the GAU-2B minigun.
Pictures:
Tier 6
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Branch 1
Branch 2
KF-5F
The KF-5F was a modified F-5E combat trainer, which gave it a second seat behind it allowing for a copilot. This lowered the maneuverability of the F-5 but gave it the advantage of being used to train pilots on a near identical platform to what they would be flying in their sorties.
Pictures:
Branch 3
F-4D
The F-4D was one of the most produced phantom II’s from the united states, so it is no surprise that they ended up in the hands of Korea. This was a dedicated interceptor, and would be extremely similar to the F-4C already in game, save a few minor modifications to the airframe. It did not include the internally mounted gun you would find on its predecessor, the F-4E
Pictures:
Tier 7
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Branch 1
KF-5E
The KF-5E is a Korean licensed production of the F-5E Tiger II. It would be functionally identical to the F-5E already found the US and Chinese trees.
Pictures:
Branch 2
TA-50
The TA-50 is the attack version of the T-50 trainer, Korea’s first domestically produced fighter aircraft. This aircraft was produced due to the need for a trainer for the F-16, as well as to supplement the air fleet of the ROKAF. This aircraft found itself to be supremely capable, thus allowing for the creation of the TA-50, the attack variant. This variant a 20mm A-50 3 barrel rotary cannon, as well as 7 hardpoints allowing for the mounting of 6 air to air sidewinders, as well as a multitude of air to ground weapons including the AGM-65 Maverick.
Pictures:
Branch 3
Tier 8
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Branch 1
KF-16 Block 32*
The KF-16 Block 32 is an advanced Block 32 F-16 that was licensed produced in South Korea. This block was capable of carrying not only the current weapons found in game on the F-16AJ, but was also capable of carrying the AGM-88 HARM, as well as the AIM-120 AMRAAM Active Missile. The difference of the Block 32 from the standard Block 30, was it retained its original P&W engine, while the Block 30 received the improved General Electric engine giving it more power.
Pictures:
KF-16 Block 52*
The KF-16 Block 52 was a vast improvement from the Block 32, giving it better engines, conformal fuel tanks that can be removed at will, allowing for longer range missions, as well as a brand new AESA RADAR with a helmet allowing for HMD Locking and Firing of missiles. It also worked with mounting more advanced versions of the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder.
Pictures:
Branch 2
FA-50
The FA-50 improves upon the TA-50 in every single way you can imagine. This model improves the radar, and adds data link systems that allow it to communicate with other aircraft digitally inside the battlespace. This version also allows for more modern precision guided munitions, as well as possibly having a MAWS system integrated, though this is still classified. Later Block 20 versions are being developed allowing for the mounting of AIM-120 AMRAAMs.
Pictures:
Branch 3
F-15K**
The F-15K is what happens when you take the F-15E and tell the Koreans to have fun. The vehicle has a HMD, as well as massive 13,000KG of payload capacity, combined with the ability to mount modern AIM-120C and AIM-9M missiles. However, for implementation, the F-15K is also capable of carrying later models of the AIM-7 Sparrow missile. However, even with those limits, the capability of the F-15K cannot be overstated in how dominant its performance is, and would be in game.
Pictures:
Now onto the Secondary Tree, this tree simply adds a single line as a fourth branch including vehicles used by North Korea. This exists purely to supplement the tree incase this many aircraft is not enough for the developers. The vehicles inside the tree are almost entirely copies of vehicles already seen in the Russian and Chinese tech trees.
Tech Tree +:
And with that we come to a close for the South Korean Air Force tech tree. I hope this tree will provide proof of the efficacy of the South Korean tree, and show that it is capable of being implemented into the game as its own tree. As always any additional sources to fix information inside of this is much appreciated, as well as any feedback related to the post.
Premium vehicles would be possible as models of the T-50, as well as below that the F-5B.
Sources:
Spoiler
Forgotten Jets (& Props) - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
Forgotten Jets (& Props) - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
Forgotten Jets (& Props) - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
Forgotten Jets (& Props) - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
Forgotten Jets (& Props) - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
Forgotten Props - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
Forgotten Jets (& Props) - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
Forgotten Jets (& Props) - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
P-51 Mustang Variants - P-51K - MustangsMustangs.com
North American T-28 Trojan - Wikipedia
North American P-51 Mustang - Wikipedia
Cessna A-37 Dragonfly - Wikipedia
List of U.S. aircraft gun pods - Wikipedia
GAU-2B/A - Air Force M134 - Army
Republic of Korea Air Force - Wikipedia
18-502 | North American F-86D Sabre | South Korea - Air Force | Gwon Im | JetPhotos
F-86D-35-NA | This Day in Aviation
F-4D Phantom II | Museum of Aviation
F-4D Phantom - The Collings Foundation
KAI T-50 Golden Eagle - Wikipedia
North American Aviation T-28 Trojan/Fennec Registry - A Warbirds Resource Group Site
Pilot's Post - North American T-28 Trojan
https://www.koreaaero.com/EN/Business/FA50.aspx
https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/f-15k-slam-eagle/
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