Air Force Chief Son Seok-rak announced plans to accelerate the retirement of the long-serving F-5 fighter jets from 2030 to 2027.
During a meeting with defense reporters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on May 13, Son stated, "We are preparing for the F-5 fighters to retire honorably before the end of next year."
He added, "We will push for the introduction of low-cost unmanned systems like LUCAS, which can be deployed in large numbers at the beginning of a conflict by the early 2030s," and mentioned plans to develop AI pilots aimed for the 2040s, further transitioning to unmanned combat squadrons.
Son emphasized that relying solely on the KF-21 would be insufficient, stating, "We must expedite the development of unmanned attack and combat aircraft, completing a combined manned and unmanned system to transition to a sixth-generation fighter system in the 2040s to 2050s."
He clarified that unmanned systems are not meant to replace humans but to enhance combat capabilities, asserting that the judgment and expertise of pilots will become increasingly important.
The Air Force is actively working on establishing an AI-based command and operational system. Son noted, "The Air Force is currently operating its own generative AI platform, 'AirWars.' We have established the military's first AI-based reporting management system," and added that the Air Force is leading in military AI initiatives, participating in the design of generative AI platforms for the Ministry of National Defense and defense projects.
He further stated, "We are now accelerating the introduction of AI into military operations, following its application in administrative tasks," explaining the use of AI for geographic information collection and target processing systems.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.