South Korea launches KF-21 fighter mass production

South Korea on Wednesday rolled out the first KF-21 Boramae fighter jet to come off the assembly line, marking the start of mass production of the domestically developed aircraft.

The ceremony took place at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, with President Lee Jae Myung attending alongside military officials and industry representatives.

The Boramae program is positioned as a step toward self-reliant airpower and expanded participation in the global defense market.

According to the South Korean government, the KF-21 program represents the culmination of a 25-year development effort involving KAI, Hanwha Aerospace, Hanwha Systems, the Air Force and the Agency for Defense Development. The project progressed from its initial concept in 2001 to the first prototype in 2021 and now to serial production.

“The fighter jet standing proudly before you embodies the long-cherished aspiration for self-reliant national defense that we have pursued for over half a century,” President Lee said during the ceremony.

Lee described the rollout as “the result of a long journey spanning 25 years, built on the sweat and effort of countless individuals,” adding that the KF-21 “signifies that Korea has secured a new driving force to compete confidently with the world’s leading defense nations.”

Following the ceremony, Lee inspected KAI’s fixed-wing aircraft production facility. The production hall spans about 21,000 square meters, roughly the size of three soccer fields, and is used to manufacture KF-21 fighters alongside FA-50 and T-50 aircraft.

According to KAI, the company is building capacity to produce more than 50 aircraft per year. CEO Kim Jong-chul said the firm plans continued investment to support growing export demand and maintain production capability.

KAI said it plans to deliver a total of 27 aircraft this year, including eight KF-21 fighters and 19 FA-50 light combat aircraft. The company expects deliveries to increase to 31 aircraft next year and 47 the following year as production scales.

During the visit, export aircraft under assembly were shown on the production line, including FA-50 jets for Malaysia and Poland, and T-50 aircraft for Indonesia. Officials said the aircraft were progressing through production according to contract schedules.

Lee was also briefed on key systems developed domestically for the KF-21, including the active electronically scanned array radar, infrared search and track system, electro-optical targeting pod and integrated electronic warfare suite.

The president reviewed automated production processes designed to ensure consistent manufacturing quality and efficiency. According to KAI, automated systems are used to align and assemble major aircraft sections with high precision.

Kim said the company’s automated fuselage assembly system aligns forward and aft sections based on the central fuselage and joins them automatically, achieving precision within one-thousandth of a unit.

Lee said after the inspection that the entire process, from production start to flight operations, is systematically organized, and expressed appreciation to engineers and workers involved in research, development and assembly.

The visit was attended by foreign diplomats from multiple countries, including the United Kingdom, Peru, Japan and Canada, who observed South Korea’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities.

The KF-21 Boramae is a multirole fighter integrating advanced avionics and sensor systems developed domestically. These systems allow the aircraft to detect, track and engage targets while maintaining situational awareness in contested environments.

The aircraft is intended to enhance South Korea’s air combat capability and support modernization of its fighter fleet. The program also serves as a foundation for expanding domestic aerospace expertise and sustaining long-term production capacity.