Korean Air Retains F-15 Depot Work

The Air Force renewed its relationship with Korean Air Lines for the upkeep of USAF F-15s based at Kadena AB, Japan. KAL will continue to perform programmed depot maintenance in Pusan, South Korea, on Kadena’s F-15s for the next five years under a $473 million contract signed last month at Robins AFB, Ga. “Since 1982, we have been in a very solid partnership with Korean Air Lines that has kept the F-15 healthy and viable,” said Col. Gerald Swift, USAF’s F-15 division director, during the Sept. 21 signing ceremony with June Chul Choi, managing vice president of KAL’s aerospace division. Swift added, “When you talk world-class depot performance, there is absolutely no doubt they are world class.” Typically, KAL performs PDM on nine of Kadena’s 54 F-15s each year, but the contract allows for up to 12 airplanes annually. (Robins report by Jenny Gordon)