South Korea’s KF-21 “Boramae” to Face Off Against F-16, JAS 39 Gripen in the Philippines

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – South Korean-made KF-21 “Boramae” fighter jet is entering the competition to supply the Philippine Air Force’s Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) program, alongside the American-made F-16 and the Swedish-made JAS39 Gripen, creating a three-way contest.

The KF-21 “Boramae” is developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The Philippines has also purchased 12 FA-50 light fighter jets, which were developed by KAI.

“Philippines has submitted a Request For Information (RFI) for the KF-21 fighter jet and will respond to the request,” said KAI Vice President Shin Dong-Hak to South Korean media recently.

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

KAI will begin building the first batch of 20 4.5-generation KF-21 “Boramae” fighter jets, which are expected to be operational for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) by 2026.

The contract for the construction of these 20 KF-21 Block 10 fighter jets, valued at USD$1.41 billion (RM6.65 billion), was recently 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 logistical support, technical manuals, and training. These fighter jets will serve the ROKAF by the end of 2026,” according to South Korean media reports.

The KF-21 development program is reported to be 80 percent complete at this stage.

 ROKAF plans to operate between 100 to 120 KF-21 “Boramae” fighter jets by 2032 to replace its aging F-4 “Phantom” and F-5 fighters.

The KF-21 “Boramae” is expected to become the “backbone” of the ROKAF, playing a crucial role in any potential conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

The KF-21 successfully made its maiden flight in 2022 and has since commenced approximately 2,000 test flights to evaluate various systems and components.

According to regional military observers, the Philippines is close to making a procurement decision for its MRCA fighter jets.

 

The competition to supply these jets to the Philippine Air Force involves Sweden’s Saab, offering the JAS39 Gripen, and America’s Lockheed Martin, offering the F-16.

In 2021, the United States approved the potential sale of 12 of the latest variant F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines, but this purchase has been delayed due to financial constraints faced by Manila, which considers Washington’s offer “too expensive.”

The potential sale of 10 F-16C Block 70/72 and two F-16D Block 70/72 jets developed by Lockheed Martin is valued at US$2.5 billion (RM11.25 billion).

Due to the high cost and Manila’s limited budget, Sweden has offered the JAS39 Gripen as an alternative.

Currently, the JAS39 Gripen is reported to be leading the competition to meet the Philippines’ needs.

At the end of June, the governments of the Philippines and Sweden signed a key agreement to support the procurement of fighter jets for the Philippine Air Force.

 

Regional military observers note that this latest agreement indicates Manila is “increasingly closer” to acquiring at least one squadron of Swedish-made JAS39 Gripen jets from Saab for the Philippine Air Force.

The Philippines is considering purchasing between 12 to 14 Gripen jets to form a multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) squadron to operate alongside its South Korean-made FA-50 light fighters.

The Philippines is expected to receive its first Gripen jet as early as 2027, with the final or 14th jet arriving in 2028. — DSA