Despite news reports in August that Boeing’s F-15SE Silent Eagle was the last contender standing in South Korea’s F-X fighter competition, South Korean defense acquisition officials have reportedly opted against procuring the jet and reopened the competition. This development seemingly breathes life into Lockheed Martin’s offer of its fifth generation F-35 strike fighter. Concerns that the F-15SE was not stealthy enough to meet South Korea’s future needs drove the decision, reported South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency on Sept. 24. South Korean defense officials said they would “promptly restart the project to minimize the security vacuum by consulting related organizations to revise the total budget and requirements,” according to Yonhap. In addition to Boeing and Lockheed Martin, Eurofighter has been offering its Typhoon in the competition.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.