Martin-Baker says the “Mk18 for KF-X is a similar seat to the one currently in competition for the US Air Force new trainer jet, the T-X.”

According Yonhap News, South Korea has completed the preliminary design review (PDR) of the KF-X fighter and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) plans to achieve critical design review (CDR) by September 2019.

“The PDR has been finished successfully to decide whether to proceed to a critical design review (CDR),” Jung Kwang-sun, head of the DAPA’s KF-X Program Group, said. “We plan to complete the detailed design process by September 2019 … and then begin the production of a prototype.”