KAI T-50 Golden Eagle
| T-50 / FA-50 | |
|---|---|
| A Philippine Air Force FA-50PH | |
| General information | |
| Type | T-50: Advanced trainer jet TA-50: Lead-in fighter-trainer FA-50: Light Strike-fighter FA-50 Block 20: Light Strike-fighter |
| National origin | South Korea |
| Manufacturer | Korea Aerospace Industries Lockheed Martin |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | Republic of Korea Air Force |
| Number built | 200 (all models) |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 2001–present |
| Introduction date | February 22, 2005 |
| First flight | August 20, 2002 |
The KAI T-50 Golden Eagle (Korean: 골든이글) is the first South Korean supersonic advanced jet trainer, light combat aircraft, and light strike-fighter developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) with Lockheed Martin. It is South Korea's first indigenous supersonic aircraft and one of the world's few supersonic trainers.
Development of the T-50 began in the late 1990s, and its maiden flight occurred in 2002. It entered active service with the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) in 2005. The T-50 has been further developed into aerobatic and combat variants, namely T-50B, TA-50, and FA-50. An F-50 single-seat multirole fighter variant was considered before being cancelled. The T-50B serves with the South Korean Air Force's aerobatics team.
The T-50 is in service with several countries. Iraq received 24 training variants designated T-50IQ in 2016. The TA-50 light attack variant has also been operated by Indonesia with 16 planes entered service in 2014 and an additional six aircraft were ordered in 2021. The Philippines operate the FA-50 light fighter variant with 12 delivered. Thailand ordered 12 units of the T-50 advanced trainer variant (T-50TH) starting in 2015. In 2022, Poland ordered 48 FA-50 aircraft, followed by Malaysia in 2023 which ordered 18 of the latest Block 20 variant.