South Korea axes F-35B acquisition plan to grow F-35A fleet?

Seoul has requested a government-to-government Foreign Military Sale (FMS) for the purchase of 25 fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II fighters has been approved by the US State Department. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required notification of the planned $5.06bn sale to the US Congress on September 13. The South Korean request includes the supply of 25 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL)-configured F-35As, with 26 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 afterburning turbofan engines (including one spare). A ROKAF-operated F-35A