S. Korea eyes F-35 deal in 3Q

South Korea plans to sign a deal to buy 40 fighter jets in the third quarter, its arms procurement agency said on Monday. South Korea decided to redraw terms of its $7.68 billion tender to buy 60 fighters last year, reducing the number in December to an initial 40 jets. South Korea signaled plans to buy the Lockheed Martin F-35A after its Joint Chiefs endorsed a need in December for "cutting-edge stealth" jets for first delivery in 2018. (Source: Reuters, 01/27/14) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the F-35 training center.