The Republic of Korea government finalized its formal selection of the F-35A Lightning II for its F-X fighter acquisition program on 24 September 2014. A Letter of Offer and Acceptance, or LOA, between the US and South Korean governments will be signed for forty F-35A conventional takeoff and landing aircraft with initial deliveries to the Republic of Korea Air Force beginning in 2018. Following a comprehensive evaluation process for its F-X program, Korea announced the selection of the F-35 over the F-15 Silent Eagle and the Eurofighter Typhoon in March 2014. Korea will purchase its aircraft through the US Foreign Military Sales, or FMS, program. Israel and Japan are also procuring F-35As under the FMS program.
