South Korean and Indonesia’s joint project of new generation fighter jet KF-21 is expected to be ready for mass production next year.
South Korea's state-run arms procurement agency said, it seeks to achieve "tentative" combat suitability of the KF-21 Boramae by May ― six months earlier than planned ― in order to kick off mass production of the domestically developed fighter jet next year, local media reported.
The 4.5-generation combat aircraft is expected to enter service in 2026, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration added.
Korean company in charge of developing the jets is KAI, established in 1991. Jaehong Jake Kim – Vice President & Head of International Business Department of KAI told DefenseHere about test flights and features of KF-21.
Jaehong Jake Kim emphasised KF-21 Boramae is a 4.5th generation fighter and covers eight aircraft types under project.
He said they were going to finish over 2000 flight tests up until mass production.
Kim said “We don't actually see a lot of competitors because the available 4.5th generation are designed with the old technology. KF-21 is one of new full 4.5th generation fighters being designed and developed with a new technology.
We believe that every customer who are operating 4.5th generation fighters all over the world are our potential customers. This KF-21 is indigenously developed aircraft, and we received some technical support from United States, but we can call this a fewer than 100% Korean-made aircraft.”
