(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — South Korea’s aerospace giant, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has announced the production of the first batch of 20 KF-21 “Boramae” fighter jets, slated be operational for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) by 2026.
The $1.41 billion contract for the production of these KF-21 Block 10 aircraft has been signed between KAI and South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
“Under this agreement, KAI will produce 20 units of the fighter jets, along with providing logistics support, technical manuals, and training. These aircraft will be in service for ROKAF by the end of 2026,” according to reports from South Korean media.
The KF-21 fighter development program is currently reported to be 80 percent complete.
Initially, media reports from South Korea indicated that 40 KF-21 aircraft would be built this year for ROKAF, but this number was later reduced to 20 units.
“Despite various challenges and difficulties, the KF-21 system development has successfully reached a stable mass production stage, thanks to the strong cooperation of various organizations,” stated KAI President Kang Goo-young in a news release.
Additionally, DAPA has also signed an agreement with Hanwha Systems for the procurement of 20 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars to be used in the first batch of KF-21 fighters.
Meanwhile, Hanwha Aerospace has signed a contract to supply 40 General Electric F414-GE-400 engines for the first 20 KF-21 fighters, with the first engine is expected to be produced by 2025 at Hanwha Aerospace’s Changwon plant.
ROKAF plans to operate between 100 to 120 KF-21 “Boramae” fighters by 2032 to replace its aging F-4 “Phantom” and F-5 fighters.
These KF-21 fighters are intended to become the backbone of ROKAF, playing a crucial role in any potential conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
The KF-21 prototype successfully conducted its maiden flight in 2022, subsequently beginning around 2,000 test flights to evaluate various systems and components.
Launched in 2015, the KF-21 development program is estimated to cost $6.59 billion.
KAI plans to supply 20 KF-21 Block 1 fighters, designed for air-to-air missions, in 2026, followed by 80 Block 2 fighters for air-to-ground missions in the next phase.
The South Korean aerospace giant also aims to start exporting the KF-21 “Boramae” to interested customers.
KAI has targeted several countries as potential customers for the KF-21, especially those already using the FA-50/T-50 light fighters, such as Thailand, the Philippines, Iraq, Poland, and Malaysia.
With an estimated unit price of $65 million, as reported by international defense media, the KF-21 (likely Block 1) is priced lower compared to other 4.5-generation fighters like the Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon. — DSA