The F-15K Slam Eagle: A Formidable Fighter Aircraft in the Republic of Korea Air Force
F-15K Slam Eagle, the guardian of the South Korean skies, was once considered the most powerful combat aircraft in the Republic of Korea Air Force until the introduction of the F-35A stealth fighter. Even today, it possesses certain strengths and advantages over the F-35A in terms of its purpose and utility. The journey to acquire the F-15K was not an easy one. The Air Force proposed the introduction of the F-15K in 1983, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff approved its feasibility in 1985. However, due to the Korean Fighter Program (KFP), which aimed to achieve numerical superiority over North Korea's air power through the licensed production of the F-16, the F-15K project was temporarily put on hold. When the KFP concluded, numerous countries presented advanced fighter aircraft options for South Korea. Unfortunately, in 1997, South Korea faced the IMF financial crisis, causing delays and downsizing in the F-15K acquisition project. The final contenders were the Boeing F-15K Slam Eagle...