ROKAF Black Eagles 2022 (including foreign tour?)

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Adam
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ROKAF Black Eagles 2022 (including foreign tour?)

Post by Adam » Wed Mar 30, 2022 10:12 am

The Black Eagles have released their 2022 schedule, with a conspicuous gap. The only major airshow listed is Osan Air Power Days in October. However, the team said: "Due to the participation of the international airshow, may not be available [for domestic events] from June to August"

There are no major Asian airshows in this period, which suggests they are going further afield. Last time I spoke to the team, at LIMA 2017, they said they had three major ambitions, in this order:
1. A return to the UK, and maybe Europe more broadly, but this time flying the T-50s to Europe rather than dismantling and airfreighting them
2. A tour of the United States
3. A visit to the Middle East, especially Dubai
The timeline could fit with either of the first two ambitions although given current relations between Korea and Russia, the T-50s would not be able to traverse either Chinese or Russian airspace. This would make a ferry flight to Europe extremely impractical, so if they are eyeing a return to Europe, they are likely planning to freight the aircraft over instead.

Full schedule:
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Post by Flightline Uk » Wed Mar 30, 2022 10:58 am

When they came to Waddington, RIAT and Farnborough 10 years ago, the aircraft were dismantled and brought over on civilian freighter aircraft to Manchester Airport. They were then roaded to RAF Leeming to be rebuilt.

I doubt cross continental ferry flying is an option for them, even in the best of times.
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Post by Adam » Wed Mar 30, 2022 11:58 am

Flightline Uk wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 10:58 am When they came to Waddington, RIAT and Farnborough 10 years ago, the aircraft were dismantled and brought over on civilian freighter aircraft to Manchester Airport. They were then roaded to RAF Leeming to be rebuilt.

I doubt cross continental ferry flying is an option for them, even in the best of times.
Chinese airspace has always been effectively closed to them, which is why they ferry to SE Asia on a very inconvenient route, island-hopping down the Pacific to stay outside China's ADIZ. However, their planned trip to MAKS 2021 would have been a ferry flight, not a dismantling job, had it not been cancelled. Although there was no specific plan at that stage, ferrying to Europe rather than freighting was certainly the Sqn Commander's #1 pre-war ambition and he was confident enough to specify that in a couple of media interviews.
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Post by Adam » Wed Mar 30, 2022 1:30 pm

Veeeeery interesting...

Really very interesting indeed!
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There's lots of RIAT chatter too of course, which is clearly the obvious candidate. Except among those in the know, who are almost certainly keeping schtum, I don't see how that's anything more than guesswork at this stage.
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Post by n33d4sp33d_85 » Wed Mar 30, 2022 3:37 pm

It certainly looks like they're going to attend RIAT, but we shall see.
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After cancelling their plans to visit Europe last year (Due to Covid uncertainty) the world-famous Black Eagles are now planning to make a spectacular return to Europe with a display at this year's Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT)!

The 53rd Air Demonstration Group, nicknamed the Black Eagles, is the aerobatic demonstration team of the Republic of Korea Air Force. The team performs on eight South Korean built KAI T-50B Golden Eagle supersonic advanced trainers and light combat aircraft.

The team is based at Wonju AB, in Gangwon province and is composed of nine pilots - one of whom is the squadron commander and does not fly in the show. The team also has thirty maintenance crew members and six assistant crew members who maintain the aircraft, provide narration, produce videos, and set up sound equipment.

The Black Eagles have previously performed at the Royal International Air Tattoo in 2012 where they won the King Hussein Memorial Sword, for the " 'Best Overall Flying Demonstration' and the 'As The Crow Flies Trophy'. They have also performed at the RAF Waddington International Air Show where they were awarded the Boeing Trophy for the best display.
https://www.facebook.com/EuropeAirShows ... &__tn__=-R
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Post by Adam » Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:03 pm

I should add regarding my earlier post, Arturs is the organiser of the Baltics International Airshow on Aug 6-7, the new successor show to Wings Over Baltics. They are not an organisation that's in the habit of being misleading or overhyping things. He's since added the comment "without giving anything away, I would recommend to book that weekend" which is I think a pretty solid indication that they're confident in securing the team.

As Flightline UK quite rightly pointed out elsewhere, European Airshows' intervention should be taken with an absolute bucketload of salt. Maybe they've got a legitimate source, in which case, well done them, but their recent conduct doesn't inspire much confidence in their accuracy or journalism ethics.
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Post by Adam » Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:58 pm

Hd an interesting discussion with an event organiser today about providing media coverage of their event. He confirmed a multi-show tour was planned and their event was one of several to be selected, but it's been cut short and several shows have heard in the last few days that they have lost out. They are still planning to come to Europe, but only for one or two events.
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Post by Flightline Uk » Mon May 16, 2022 1:16 pm

https://www.air-shows.org.uk/2022/05/ai ... is-summer/
SEOUL, May 16 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean Air Force's aerobatic flight team plans to join three international air shows in Britain in July, Seoul officials said Monday, marking its first visit to the European nation in 10 years.

The Black Eagles team is set to participate in the Southport Air Show, Royal International Air Tattoo, and Farnborough Airshow from July 9-22, as part of military diplomacy to promote South Korean-made aircraft.

The team last attended a British show in 2012. Later, it joined flight events in Singapore and Malaysia but did not travel to Britain due largely to geographical distance, according to the officials.

The team of 12 pilots will fly eight T-50B supersonic trainer jets to stage various performances, including its trademark show of drawing with smoke tails the taegeuk mark, a signature symbol of South Korea's national flag.

A joint flight with its British counterpart, the Red Arrows, has also been arranged to highlight the two countries' friendship, the Air Force said.

Next month, the Air Force plans to disassemble nine T-50B jets, including a spare, and transport them to Britain by air. South Korea will also utilize three C-130 transport aircraft to ship other pieces of equipment.

Following its trip to Britain, the team plans to visit 13 other countries, including Poland, Slovakia, Egypt and the Philippines, to promote South Korean military assets, such as the FA-50 light attack aircraft.

The squad's flight distance before its return home is estimated to be 20,000 kilometers, the Air Force said.
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Post by Adam » Mon May 16, 2022 2:34 pm

Terrific to finally have this out in the open. Lucky Southport!!

Given the RIAT bit was kind of an open secret, the other thing that caught my eye was the line about visiting 13 other countries. All four countries named have expressed interest in buying the T-50 or FA-50, if it's not clear why they're doing it! No timescale given but hopefully that means they'll be back in Europe in a season or two and we'll get yet more chances to see this brilliant team.
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Post by n33d4sp33d_85 » Sun Jul 03, 2022 11:26 pm

On the 25th of July, the Black Eagles will depart to Poland where they will display at the Polish Air Force Academy in Deblin demonstrating the aircraft to the Polish Air Force officials. It has not been confirmed yet on what day/s the team will display and if the base will be open to the public. Sadly the third and also the last leg of the Black Eagles European Tour which would see the team display in Slovakia has been cancelled meaning that their display in Poland will be the only opportunity to see the team in mainland Europe.
https://www.europeanairshows.co.uk/news ... iLc5QheIac
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