South Korea has announced that it will pick its new fighter by July, heating up the already fierce competition. While the original plans were for 60 fighters (with another 60 to be ordered later) the current plan calls for 40 fighters with any follow-up orders based on performance of the South Korean economy and the peace talks with North Korea. The South Korean Air Force has made it clear that it still wants all 120. The contenders are the American F-15E, the Eurofighter Typhoon, the French Rafale, and the Russian Su-35. The contenders are trying to improve their chances by offering advanced weapons. The Typhoon (and probably the Rafale) will come with the Apache (or Storm Shadow) stand-off air-to-ground missile.-Stephen V Cole