South Korea to evaluate PAK-FA fighter, reports claim

(Flight Global) : South Korea's Defence Acquisition Programme Agency has shortlisted Sukhoi's PAK-FA/T-50 stealth fighter among the competitors for Seoul's FX-III fighter contract, according to local reports.

The PAK-FA will be considered against a field that already includes the Boeing and Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter F-15SE Silent Eagle, Eurofighter Typhoon

Sukhoi unveiled its first PAK-FA prototype - also referred to as aircraft T-50-1 - only 18 months ago, with a first flight event on 29 January 2010. A second prototype dubbed T-50-2 has also been delivered.

India is also considering a variant of the PAK-FA via a fifth-generation fighter aircraft programme being pursued jointly with Russia.

South Korea is also looking at potentially launching an indigenous KF-X fighter development programme in collaboration with Indonesia.