공중급유기 전력화로 원거리 작전능력 획기적 신장
The nation's military held a ceremony to introduce its first aerial refueling tanker.
The South Korean Air Force named the Airbus-made tanker KC-330 CIGNUS.
Park Ji-won zooms in on how this latest addition can upgrade Seoul's defense capabilities.
Hundreds of key military officials, including the nation's defense minister, the commander of the U.S. Seventh Air Force,... and military attaches from major countries... attended Wednesday’s fielding ceremony as South Korea introduced its first air-to-air refueling and transport aircraft... at Gimhae Air Base, near the southern port city of Busan.
In his congratulatory message,... Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said the refueling tanker will strengthen the air force's operational capabilities in the face of a drastically changing security situation.
“With this aircraft, the ROK Air Force will be able to more perfectly take on its mission of defending the nation’s airspace. It will extend our radius of action and operation time."
The KC-330 CYGNUS is about 60 meters both in length and in width,... and is capable of carrying up to 108 tons of fuel.
That's enough to refuel up to around ten F-15Ks or about twenty F-16Ks,... increasing the length of time they can operate without landing.
“With this significantly improved operating time, the Air Force can now operate more effectively within every inch of the nation’s air defense identification zone, including Dokdo and Ieodo islands.“
To refuel a plane in the air, the tanker's boom operator closely watches the 3D camera monitors set up at the corner of the cockpit.
The tanker will also be used to refuel jets during long-distance combined exercises with the U.S. and other partner countries.
In addition,... since the air tanker has hundreds of seats inside,... just like a passenger plane, it can also carry soldiers or civilians on important missions.
South Korea chose the Airbus A330-based design back in 2015, and took delivery of the first one last November.
Later this year, it'll get three more.
“The South Korean Air Force says the four aerial refueling tankers will begin normal operations from July 2020.
Park Ji-won, Arirang News, Gimhae."
