The first mass-produced KF-21 fighter jet delivered to the Air Force.
According to a report by Reference News on September 26, the first production model of the KF-21 "Boramae" fighter jet was delivered to the Air Force on September 22, marking a significant milestone in South Korea's decades-long efforts in the development and deployment of domestically produced fighter jets.
According to the Air Force and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, after being handed over to the Air Force, the KF-21 took off from the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) manufacturing facility and flew to its first operational base.
Major Han Jae-sik, one of the first KF-21 pilots, signed the acceptance and delivery documents before piloting the aircraft into the sky.
The delivery on the 22nd comes 25 years and 6 months after then-President Kim Dae-jung announced the plan to develop a domestic fighter jet in March 2001.
The report noted that after several years of feasibility assessments and delays due to budget issues, the project was launched in cooperation with Indonesia, aiming to develop an advanced supersonic fighter jet to replace South Korea's retired F-4 "Phantom" fighters and aging F-5 fleet.
The KF-21 is a 4.5 generation multirole fighter jet, measuring 16.9 meters in length and 11.2 meters in wingspan, with a maximum speed of up to 1.8 Mach. The aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 25.6 tons and a maximum payload of 7.7 tons.
The report stated that KAI unveiled the first prototype of the project in April 2021. The aircraft made its maiden flight in July 2022 and is set to enter mass production in 2024. The first production aircraft rolled off the assembly line in March this year and completed all acceptance procedures before the delivery on the 22nd.
The South Korean Air Force plans to announce the operational capability of the KF-21 in the second half of 2027 and aims to gradually deploy over 100 of the aircraft by the early 2030s.
KAI stated that it will first produce 40 KF-21 aircraft focused on air-to-air combat capabilities, to be delivered to the Air Force by 2028, followed by an additional 80 aircraft equipped with long-range air-to-ground missiles by 2032.
General Son Seok-rok, Chief of Staff of the South Korean Air Force, said that this delivery marks a new phase for the KF-21 project and indicated that the responsibility for the aircraft has shifted from its developers to the Air Force. He urged relevant personnel to ensure that the aircraft is quickly integrated into the operational system, becoming a key component of South Korea's air defense capabilities. (Translated by Zhu Jie and Chen Rui)
The first production KF-21 fighter jet was delivered to the Republic of Korea Air Force on September 22, 2023. This marks a significant milestone in South Korea's decades-long effort to develop and deploy a domestic fighter aircraft. The KF-21 is intended to replace the retired F-4 and aging F-5 aircraft, with operational capability expected by late 2027.
- The first production KF-21 fighter jet was delivered to the Republic of Korea Air Force on September 22, 2023.
- The KF-21 is a 4.5 generation multi-role fighter jet with a maximum speed of 1.8 Mach.
- The project aims to replace the retired F-4 and aging F-5 aircraft in the South Korean fleet.
- The South Korean Air Force plans to achieve operational capability for the KF-21 by the second half of 2027.
- A total of over 100 KF-21 aircraft are planned to be produced by the early 2030s.