During peacetime, the air force constantly keeps an eye on the enemy and maintains a high level of combat readiness at all times, which allows it to immediately retaliate against the enemy should it launch provocations. During war, the tasks of the air force are: to acquire air superiority and thus prevent the enemy from flying to neutralize the enemy's will by destroying its main and potential war power; and supporting the ground and naval forces' operations.
The air force operates aircraft equipped with precision-guided munitions and long-range air-to-air missiles. It also has a joint air-ground-sea operation system that provides close air support for ground and naval forces.
The air force is composed of Air Force Headquarters, the Combat Air Command, Air Defense Command, and Air Traffic Control Center. Air Force Headquarters consists of two flight wings and. The air force possesses approximately 63,000 troops and about 740 aircraft including F-16s [up from about 700 aircraft in 1990].
The air force operates from eight major airbases: the Combat Air Command controlled the bulk of the roughly 500 jet combat aircraft; the small Air Transportation Command had 37 transport aircraft; and the Air Training Command used 7 types of trainers. In 1990 the air force had 40,000 personnel on active duty. Most of these personnel were stationed at large, well-defended air bases located at Suwon, Osan, Ch'ongju, Kangnong, Taegu, Kunsan, Kwangju, and Sunch'on. The air force also operates an unknown number of smaller airbases. Civilian airfields, including three international airfields at Seoul, Pusan, and Cheju, would be utilized in wartime, as would specially designed sections of major highways. The Combat Air Command, headquartered at Osan, has nine flight wings and one training wing. It controls aircraft that included twenty-two squadrons of ground attack fighters/interceptors, twenty-three counterinsurgency aircraft in one squadron, twenty reconnaissance aircraft in one squadron, and fifteen search-and-rescue helicopters in one squadron. All of these aircraft were produced in the United States, with the exception of sixty-eight Northrop F-5E/Fs that were coproduced with Korean Air. As of 1990 the 294 Northrop F-5s and 36 General Dynamics F16C /Ds were the primary ground attack aircraft. Approximately 130 McDonnell Douglas F-4s were deployed as of 1990 for air defense but were equally useful in ground attack. All three types of aircraft were capable of being used in either role, depending on their armament. The air force supported army counterinsurgency programs with twenty-three Cessna A-37 aircraft, used as forward air controllers, but which could also be used in ground attack. Eight Northrop F-5s and twelve McDonnell Douglas F-4s were equipped solely for reconnaissance. A total of fifteen Bell UH-1B and UH1H helicopters were available for search-and-rescue operations.During the 1980s, the air force modernization program focused primarily on the formation and deployment of twelve new fighter aircraft squadrons and the establishment of an automated air defense network. In December 1989, the Ministry of National Defense selected the McDonnell Douglas FA-18 to be the second United Statesdesigned fighter aircraft to be coproduced in South Korea. Samsung's aerospace division was awarded a contract to manufacture the airframe and engine; Lucky-Goldstar became the subcontractor for the aircraft's avionics. McDonnell Douglas agreed to deliver twelve FA-18s to the South Korean air force in 1993 and to assist Samsung with the later assembly of 108 aircraft in South Korea. As of 1990, the entire FA-18 program was under review because of increased costs. Korean Air used its depot maintenance facilities at Kimhae to overhaul most types of aircraft in service with the South Korean air force. Additionally, the United States Air Force contracted with Korean Air for the maintenance of its F-4, F-15, A-10, and C-130 aircraft stationed in South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines.
The F-16 provided South Korea with an aircraft believed to be technologically superior to similarly designed communist aircraft, including the Soviet-produced MiG-29, the most sophisticated aircraft employed by the North Korean air force. South Korea-United States coproduction of F-5 aircraft demonstrated the resolve of South Korean military planners to promote a defense industry that simultaneously utilized advanced United States technology while enhancing indigenous efforts both at establishing an aviation industry and increasing access to Western technology.
The Defense Ministry plans an ambitious defense improvement program that includes a next-generation fighter program, purchases of attack helicopters, surface-to-air missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. Among the candidates for the fighter project are Rafale of France, Eurofighter being produced by a European consortium, F-15 of the US and Russia's Sukhoi-35.
The Tactical Air Control Center at Osan became operational in 1983. The Theater Air Control Center has a full control over all air operations. Reconnaissance aircraft and air defense radar sites informed the center about potentially hostile aircraft before they entered South Korean airspace. In wartime this capability was expected to allow South Korean air controllers more time to assess threat and the ability quickly to communicate orders to interceptor aircraft and surface-to-air missile sites.