Intensifying Competition: South Korea Offers 10 KF-21 “Boramae” Block 1 to the Philippines

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – The competition to supply fighter jets to the Philippines is intensifying, with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) reportedly offering 10 KF-21 “Boramae” fighter jets to the Southeast Asian nation.

KAI is said to have proposed the KF-21 Block 1 variant, designed for air superiority missions, to the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The offer of KF-21 fighter jets, which have just entered mass production, means that the South Korean 4.5-generation jets will compete against Sweden’s JAS39 Gripen and the American-made F-16 for the Philippine contract.

The Philippine government is expected to announce the winner by the end of this year.

The Philippines plans to spend US$33 billion (RM142 billion) to modernize its military, with a focus on acquiring medium-range missiles and modern fighter jets, according to senior defense officials.

This major defense expenditure comes as the Philippines faces increasing aggression from China, particularly in the South China Sea.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines aims to acquire more advanced weapon systems,” said General Romeo Brawner, following an announcement by Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro that the country is considering multiple arms sales offers from various nations.

According to Philippine defense media and blogs, the KF-21 offer is part of the country’s Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) program and is accompanied by an offer of 12 FA-50 Block 20 light fighters.

This dual-offer from KAI makes the competition even more interesting, as KAI is currently the only defense firm offering two types of fighter jets simultaneously.

The Philippine Air Force already operates 12 FA-50 light fighters, and there is known interest in expanding the fleet with the more advanced Block 20 variant.

Defense observers in the Philippines have noted that the country could initially acquire 10 KF-21 Block 1 jets and later upgrade them to the Block II variant, which is capable of ground attack missions.

With this upgrade, the KF-21 jets would become multi-role fighters, aligning with the Philippine Air Force’s operational goals.

In June, KAI announced that it would produce the first batch of 20 KF-21 “Boramae” 4.5-generation fighters, which will be operational for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) by 2026.

The US$1.41 billion (RM6.65 billion) contract to build the 20 KF-21 Block 1 fighters was signed between KAI and South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

“Under the agreement, KAI will produce 20 units of the fighter jet and provide logistics support, technical manuals, and training. The aircraft will be in service with ROKAF by the end of 2026,” according to South Korean media reports.

Additionally, DAPA has signed a contract with Hanwha Systems to procure 20 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radars for the first batch of KF-21 fighters.

ROKAF plans to operate between 100 and 120 KF-21 “Boramae” fighters by 2032, replacing its aging F-4 “Phantom” and F-5 fighters still in service.

Launched in 2015, the KF-21 development program is estimated to cost US$6.59 billion (RM26.36 billion).

KAI plans to deliver 20 KF-21 Block 1 fighters, designed for air-to-air missions, by 2026, followed by 80 Block 2 fighters for air-to-ground missions in the subsequent phase.

The company has identified several potential customers for the KF-21, particularly countries that already operate FA-50/T-50 light fighters, including Thailand, the Philippines, Iraq, Poland, and Malaysia. – DSA