As part of the sale of the KAI FA-50 Fighting Eagle to Argentina, the South Korean manufacturer has informed Buenos Aires that it is unable to supply the light fighter/attack aircraft because some parts are British-made.
Six elements are blocking the export of a device
In a letter dated 28 October, a senior official of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) told Argentina's ambassador to the Republic of Korea Alfredo Carlos Bascou that the KAI FA-50, a derivative of the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle, could not be exported because of the arms embargo imposed by the British government on the country. The KAI FA-50 consists of six major components that originate in the UK.
"We regret to inform you that the issue of UK export licences has not been resolved to date. Although KAI has not yet found a solution, KAI is making reasonable efforts to resolve the issue of export licensing to the UK", the letter states.
Origins dating back to the Falklands conflict
In Argentina, Defence Minister Agustin Rossi admitted that the British government had opposed the FA 50 operation with South Korea. The origins go back to the 1982 Falklands conflict in the South Atlantic. The United Kingdom imposed an arms embargo on arms destined for Argentina, including equipment and other military effects with components of British origin, as was the case with the South Korean-origin KAI FA-50 with six UK-manufactured parts.