Latest news with #ROKAF
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cold War-era fighter jets F-4 Phantoms could launch satellites for US firm
The skies above the Kennedy Space Center have long echoed with the roar of privately flown F-104 Starfighters. Now, a new chapter is unfolding, one that promises to reshape access to space. Starfighters International, a company with a long history in research and test flights, is working on the acquisition of retired F-4 Phantoms from South Korea. The War Zone reported that these iconic Cold War fighters could play a crucial role in ambitious space launch operations. The company aims to give small satellite operators quick access to low Earth orbit (LEO) and also provide suborbital opportunities. Due to persistent tensions with North Korea, South Korea's Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) began operating F-4 Phantoms in the late 1960s. After 55 years of distinguished service, the ROKAF formally retired its last operational F-4s on June 7, 2024. Reportedly, the sleek F-104 Starfighter excels at high-speed stratospheric climbs, but it has limitations. For larger payloads requiring significant thrust to reach Low Earth Orbit, the F-4 Phantom may present an effective answer. The market for getting to space is booming, with small satellites leading the charge. Take CubeSats, for example – these shoebox-sized satellites are simpler and cheaper to create and get into space. CubeSats are designed for a wide array of users, enabling them to pursue scientific research, test novel technologies, and build commercial services. Currently, these smaller payloads are often beholden to the schedules of larger launches, tying customers to timelines that can span years. Simply put, these smaller satellites usually catch a ride on rockets already carrying larger payloads. This new approach offers a revolutionary alternative. The use of F-4 Phantoms could potentially offer smaller customers quick, on-demand launches from optimal locations. This capability aligns perfectly with two major strategic goals: NASA's ongoing efforts to commercialize Low Earth Orbit (shifting towards purchasing services from private companies rather than solely operating its own infrastructure). A second factor is the escalating U.S. military requirement for agile and responsive space access. Currently, satellite technology is becoming smaller and evolving at a faster pace. This trend is also making space a more contested domain. While many launched space concepts have failed, Starfighters International stands out due to its long history. The company's extensive operational experience with high-performance military fighter aircraft and 'deep roots in the spaceflight community' give them a unique and credible position. Starfighters International currently employs its F-104 Starfighters for suborbital payload launches. These missions are specifically designed for customers requiring access to a microgravity environment for experimentation, providing valuable minutes of weightlessness. The F-104s serve as the first stage for their Starlaunch 1 rocket, carrying it to altitude before release. Looking ahead, the company plans to utilize the acquired F-4 Phantoms to carry the Starlaunch 2 rocket. This larger rocket is intended to provide access to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), and specifically to handle heavier payloads than what the F-104-based system can currently manage. 'A single rocket can carry one payload or over a dozen smaller ones,' the report stated. Of course, acquiring capable military hardware is no simple feat. But Starfighters International has a plan. Should sourcing become an issue, other nations like Greece and Turkey, which are winding down their Phantom operations, could provide avenues for acquisition.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Korean F-16s Just Bombed A Town By Accident
A pair of F-16 fighters operated by the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) accidentally bombed a civilian area during a live-fire military exercise today. The incident took place ahead of large-scale joint maneuvers with U.S. forces in South Korea, the first of their kind since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Footage has now been released which appears to show yesterday's 'accidental bombing' in South Korea, in which an ROKAF KF-16 Multirole Fighter dropped 8 Mk-82 500lb Bombs on the Town of Dong-myeon in the Gyeonggi Province, during a Live-Fire Exercise with the U.S. Air Force. — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 6, 2025 민가에 포탄 떨어진 장면공군 훈련 중 KF-16 폭탄 8발 비정상 투하추가 피해 없길… — 국민이라면 (@korearamyun) March 6, 2025 本日午前10時頃韓国京機道浦川市で訓練中の韓国空軍のKF-16からＭK82爆弾8発が民家に誤爆され住民7人の重軽傷者が発生。死者が出なかっただけましか•••。何やってんだよマジで。 — SGT_LEE (@chosin1st) March 6, 2025 : Officials gather in an area with damaged buildings after South Korea's Air Force said that MK-82 bombs accidentally fell from two KF-16 jets outside the shooting range during joint live-fire exercises near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas in Pocheon, South… — Voice of America (@VOANews) March 6, 2025 At 10:04 a.m. local time this morning, two ROKAF F-16s dropped eight 500-pound Mk 82 bombs, all of which detonated. The point of impact was the city of Pocheon, around 20 miles south of the heavily militarized border with North Korea and 25 miles north of the South Korean capital, Seoul. It seems the intended target was the Seungjin Fire Training Field close to Pocheon, which today hosted a live-fire exercise involving K2 tanks, K55A1 self-propelled howitzers, AH-64 attack helicopters, and F-35A stealth fighters. South Korean Air Force KF-16 fighter jet accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area during a live-fire the drill, a KF-16 jet accidentally dropped 8 x MK-82 bombs outside the designated area.4 people were seriously injured and 3 were slightly injured. — Clash Report (@clashreport) March 6, 2025 The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has announced that during a Joint-Exercise today with the U.S. Air Force, a KF-16 Multirole Fighter 'accidentally dropped' at least 8 Mk-82 500lb Bombs on the Town of Dong-myeon in the Gyeonggi Province of South Korea, less than 12 Miles… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 6, 2025 'Our KF-16s abnormally dropped eight shells of Mk 82 bombs. They landed outside of the firing range,' the ROKAF said in a statement to the BBC. KF-16 is the designation for F-16C/Ds assembled locally in South Korea but is sometimes used generically for the entire ROKAF Viper fleet. These are the most numerous fighters in the South Korean air force, with a total of 180 having been acquired in both Block 30 and Block 52 versions. Around 130 of the jets are being upgraded to F-16V standard. Initial reports indicate that 15 people were injured in the incident. Local media say that two of those were now in a serious condition, with fractures to their necks and shoulders. According to the Yonhap news agency, a 60-year-old who had been driving at the time of the incident was left with shrapnel lodged in their neck. There was also extensive damage to buildings in the area, including a church and houses. 'There was a sudden loud roar of a fighter jet, then an explosion rang out. When I went to the scene, there were about four houses that were halved from the damage, people hurt,' Oh Moung-su, a 65-year-old resident, told Reuters. 'Dusk and smoke rose into the sky, water gushed out of a pipe. People in a vehicle going to a construction site were injured — some of them couldn't even get out of the car. Another was outside the car covering his eye.' At this stage, it's unclear why the bombs were dropped here, although a Reuters report, citing the country's military, suggests that one of the pilots entered the incorrect coordinates. It was yet to be determined why the second fighter dropped its bombs, the military said, but confirmed that all live-fire exercises had been suspended for the time being. The ROKAF says it is investigating what happened and will pay compensation to those affected. The maneuvers today occurred ahead of planned combined drills involving South Korea and the United States, known as Freedom Shield. These are the first of their kind under the new Trump administration and are due to run from March 10 to 20. South Korean military officials say today's incident will not affect this schedule. All of this comes at a time when South Korea and the United States are increasingly concerned about the deepening military alliance between North Korea and Russia. Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, North Korea has emerged as a key backer for Moscow, providing troops as well as millions of rounds of ammunition and other weaponry. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the Freedom Shield drills will reflect 'lessons learned from recent armed conflicts' and North Korea's expanding partnership with Russia. Incidents involving live-fire exercises in South Korea are also not unheard of. During a joint U.S.-South Korea drill in 2022, a short-range ballistic missile was launched and malfunctioned, crashing into a golf course at a military base. The warhead didn't detonate, but there was a significant fire. On other occasions, stray munitions have landed near civilian residences in South Korea but have rarely caused injuries. In 2004, a ROKAF F-5B mistakenly released a practice bomb over Boryeong, 85 miles south of Seoul, but no one was harmed. In this latest case, it is especially alarming since these were live weapons — a full 4,000 pounds nominal weight in total — that detonated in a city with a population of around 140,000. There is also the fact that this occurred in close proximity to the North Korean border. Certainly, the results could have been much worse in terms of both civilian casualties and repercussions. While the South Korean military insists that today's incident will not affect the Freedom Shield drills, it will undoubtedly raise questions about the relative safety of live-fire exercises on the peninsula. In that sense, the timing is especially unfortunate for Seoul, as it prepares to begin the first large-scale joint maneuvers with the U.S. military under the new Trump administration, at a time of raised tensions with the North. Contact the author: thomas@
