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Aerial View of Korea Aerospace Industries Headquarters in Sacheon, Gyeongsangnam-do (Photo = KAI) |
[AlphaBiz = Lee Junhyun] The FA-50 grounding crisis in Poland, which caused severe turmoil for Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI, CEO Kang Goo-young) last year, was successfully resolved thanks to proactive cooperation from the Korean Air Force, it was confirmed belatedly.
According to AlphaBiz's investigation on Monday, the Korean Air Force lent a significant number of key FA-50 aircraft components from its inventory to KAI late last year.
KAI promptly sent these borrowed components to a maintenance facility in Poland, where they were immediately utilized to repair the grounded FA-50GF aircraft stationed at local airfields.
A KAI official clarified, “It is true that we borrowed some components, though not all,” adding, “The FA-50 exports to Poland involved the GF (Gap Filler) version, and the parts loan is an extension of our exchange agreement with the Air Force.”
The FA-50GF version for Poland was originally scheduled for delivery to the Korean Air Force but was prioritized for export to Poland.
Both the Air Force and KAI emphasized that the parts loan and related policies were executed in a manner that did not interfere with military operations.
Under these policies, the Air Force provided parts to KAI in exchange for rental fees, and KAI is expected to supply replacements for the borrowed components at a later date.
Han Chi-ho, a Ph.D. in public administration and an economic analyst, commented, “The swift resolution of the Poland crisis, which could have become prolonged, was made possible by the collaborative efforts of the government, military, and KAI. For CEO Kang Goo-young, this crisis could serve as an opportunity to find innovative solutions to address the global disruption in the aviation parts supply chain following the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Alphabiz 이준현 기자(wtcloud83@alphabiz.co.kr)
