South Korea Starts Mass Production Of KF-21 Boramae Fighter Jets Next Year

South Korea's KF-21 Boramae fighter jet. (Source: Defense Acquisition Program Administration via The Korea Times)

JAKARTA - The Korean state-owned arms procurement agency said it was seeking to achieve the "tentative" KF-21 Boramae combat suitability in May - six months earlier than planned - to begin mass production of domestically developed fighter jets next year.

The 4.5 generation fighter aircraft is expected to start operating in 2026, added the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

Since its inaugural flight in July 2022, four KF-21 prototypes, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), have flown a total of 142 sorties as of March 10, including flights that hit supersonic speeds. It also made successful flights with advanced active electrically scanned array (AESA) radars installed earlier this month.

DAPA briefed MPs during a session of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee on development plans, including its push to complete a preliminary combat eligibility test on jets in May.

Based on the plan, DAPA will sign a mass production contract in the first half of next year after conducting a production feasibility study from May to August this year and finalizing a mass production plan in December.

"We have decided to adjust the schedule to achieve its tentative combat suitability," he said in a report to the Assembly, quoted from the Korea Times April 15.

A temporary testing scheme has been introduced to allow gun developers to secure a mass production budget, even before the prototype meets all combat requirements in an effort to accelerate the production process as a whole. Tests will be carried out by Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"Through more than 140 test flights, we have demonstrated KF-21 performance in early flight stability, supersonic flight, AESA radar detection accuracy, and weaponry," DAPA said.

DAPA also told lawmakers it plans to deploy its first KF-21 aircraft in the second half of 2026.

The KF-21 project, formerly known as KF-X, is intended to make warplanes with the higher capabilities of the KF-16 fighter, starting in March 2001 by the late President Kim Dae-jung.

The Ginseng State Air Force plans to order 120 advanced multi-play fighter jets by 2032 to replace the aging F-4 and F-5 fleets under the project.

Related to that, South Korea and Indonesia signed an agreement in 2010 to cooperate on the project, where Jakarta will fund 20 percent of the total development costs of 8.8 trillion won, in exchange for a number of aircraft to be produced there for the Indonesian Air Force and technology transfer.

Along with AESA radars tracking multiple targets with highly advanced and efficient components, KF-21 uses a variety of advanced technologies, including an infrared search and tracking system that detects low-fly targets emitting infrared radiation, such as ship anti-missiles.

The fighter jet will be equipped with air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-2000 by the German-based Diehl and the British MBDA. In addition, air-to-surface combat capabilities will be added during the second phase of the project from 2026 to 2028.