South Korea will buy 20 more US F-35A fighters as part of its FX project to acquire foreign stealth fighters from 2023 to 2028, Defense News reported.

The National Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee, headed by Defense Minister Jeong Sup Lee, has officially decided to buy 20 additional F-35As at a cost of 3.9 trillion Korean won (nearly $3 billion). South Korea plans to purchase them by 2028.

Thus, the Air Force will have a total of 60 F-35As, as the military is already operating 40 F-35A Block-Is.

The South Korean government and military plan to complete a feasibility study this year and develop a concrete acquisition plan early next year.