South Korea's KF-21 Fighter Is No F-35 (But It Doesn't Have to Be)

Summary and Key Points: South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced a reduction in KF-21 Boramae fighter production from 40 to 20 units for this year.

-Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) confirmed a $1.4 billion deal to produce 20 of these fighters, with delivery expected by 2026.

-The KF-21, a 4.5-generation fighter, aims to replace the aging F-4 and F-5 jets and offers a cheaper alternative to the F-35. Block 1 of the KF-21 will have full air-to-air and limited air-to-ground capabilities, with Block 2 expected to enhance these features by 2028.

South Korea Scales Back KF-21 Fighter Production for 2023

In March, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced plans to produce just twenty KF-21 Boramae fighters this year, a reduction from the initially planned 40 units. On Tuesday, the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) – which is the nation's only military aircraft manufacturer – confirmed that it had signed a 2 trillion won ($1.4 billion) to mass produce 20 of the domestically-designed supersonic fighters.

Serial production will begin just two years after the KF-21 made its maiden flight, and while testing and development on the 4.5-generation fighter continues. KAI will also provide follow-up logistics support, technical manuals, and training on the jets, The Korea Times reported.

The KF-21 will enter service with the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) by the end of 2026.

"The KF-21, a symbol of true self-defense, will contribute to improving the power of the national air force and further developing the advanced aerospace industry," said KAI CEO Kang Goo-young in a statement issued to the Korea Economic Daily on the 74th anniversary of the Korean War, which broke out on June 25, 1950.

An F-35 Alternative

The KF-21 was developed by KAI as part of a $6.6 billion project to replace the RoKAF's aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 fighters, and it has been touted as a "cheaper" alternative to the American-made Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Work on the program began in the early 2000s to develop a more advanced version of the domestically-built KF-16.

Indonesia joined the program in 2010 as a junior partner, with Jakarta funding 20% of the total development cost in exchange for an undisclosed number of fighters that would be produced for the Indonesian Air Force. However, as previously reported, Indonesia may have been late in its payments to Seoul – so it is unclear where the partnership currently stands.

KAI has claimed that the development of the KF-21 is now 80% complete, and the aircraft completed its first test flights in July 2022. It has also conducted successful air-to-air refueling testing, which highlights its long-range operational capabilities.

Development of the multirole fighter has also involved more than 600 South Korean partner companies, as Seoul set a localization target rate at 65%, which according to recent media reports has been achieved. Hanwha Aerospace – which produces engines for several of the RoKAF aircraft – was awarded a multi-year contract to supply its F414 engines for the KF-21.

Six prototypes have been produced and are being used in a multitude of performance testing.

Block 1 is Underway as Development Continues

Current plans call for twenty KF-21 Block 1 aircraft to be manufactured and integrated with Diehl Defense AIM-2000 (IRIS-T), Meteor, JDAM, LJDAM, and the locally developed KGGB-guided bombs. In addition, the Block 1 models will also have full air-to-air combat capability and limited air-to-ground capability to attain initial operating qualifications.

Already KAI is looking ahead to the Block 2 version, which will also offer full air-to-ground capability. The RoKAR is expected to receive 80 of these variants, with the delivery of the Block 2 aircraft expected to begin in 2028. The timing would allow for the aircraft to reach full operational capability status.

While not a fifth-generation aircraft, The South Korean Boramae could still be a capable 4.5-generation multirole fighter. The KF-21's stealth capabilities are expected to be superior to the Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon, while not matching the F-35.

Seoul has called for 120 KF-21s to enter service by 2032, while the aircraft will also be offered for export.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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