KAI KF-21 Boramae

KF-21 Boramae
side view of a jet fighter model
A flight testing of KF-21 prototype 001 on 18 August 2022
Role Block 1: Air superiority fighter[1]
Block 2: Multirole combat aircraft, air superiority fighter[1]
National origin South Korea
Manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries / Indonesian Aerospace
Design group Agency for Defense Development[2]
First flight 19 July 2022
Introduction 2026 (planned)[1]
Primary user Republic of Korea Air Force

The KAI KF-21 Boramae (formerly known as KF-X) is a South Korean-led fighter aircraft development program with the goal of producing an advanced multirole fighter for the South Korean and Indonesian air forces.[1][3] The airframe has stealth technology,[4][5] features such as internal bays will be introduced later with KF-21EX program.[6][7] The KAI KF-X is South Korea's second domestic fighter jet development program, following the FA-50.[8]

The program is led by the South Korean government, which holds 60% of the program's shares. Indonesia took a 20% stake in the program in 2010 and participate the program through Indonesian Aerospace since the start of KF-21 development in 2011,[9] and the remaining 20% is held by private partners including the manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).[8] Later, in August 2024, Indonesia's stake was reduced to 7.5% when the head of the program, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), cut Indonesia's development contribution.[10]

In April 2021, the first prototype was completed and unveiled during a rollout ceremony at the headquarters of KAI at Sacheon Airport.[11] It was named the Boramae[note 1] (Korean: 보라매, "young hawk" or "fighting hawk").[12][13] The first test flight was on 19 July 2022, with manufacturing scheduled to begin in 2026. At least 40 aircraft are planned to be delivered by 2028, with South Korea expecting to deploy 120 of the aircraft by 2032.[13] It will also be available for export.[14]

  1. ^ a b c d "Meet South Korea's New KF-21 "Hawk" Indigenous Fighter". The Drive. 9 April 2021. Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  2. ^ "KF-X 탐색 개발". Agency for Defense Development. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  3. ^ "South Korea rolls out the KF-21, joining elite group of global supersonic fighter jet makers". CNN. 9 April 2021. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  4. ^ Shin Gyu-jin (13 August 2021). "[단독]'KF-21 보라매'에 '스텔스 페인트' 입힌다". The Dong-a Ilbo. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  5. ^ Park Yeong-tae (13 August 2021). "KF-21 전투기에 스텔스 페인트 입힌다…국내기술 적용". Newsis. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  6. ^ T. Washington Institute
  7. ^ Roblin, Sebastien (13 April 2021). "Korea's New KF-21 Jet Isn't A Stealth Fighter—But Could Evolve Into One". The National Interest. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  8. ^ a b "KF-X Fighter: Korea's Future Homegrown Jet". Defense Industry Daily. 17 November 2017. Archived from the original on 23 November 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  9. ^ "KFX/IFX program is continued, Government should chose the design (Translation from Indonesian)". Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.
  10. ^ "제163회 방위사업추진위원회 결과". Defense Acquisition Program Administration. 16 August 2024. Archived from the original on 23 August 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  11. ^ "한국형 전투기 KF-X 시제기 출고식 - [끝까지 LIVE] MBC 중계방송 2021년 04월 09일". YouTube. 8 April 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  12. ^ "국립국어원 표준국어대사전". Standard Korean Language Dictionary. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  13. ^ a b "South Korea unveils prototype of homegrown KF-X fighter jet". Defense News. 9 April 2021. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Meet South Korea's New KF-21 "Hawk" Indigenous Fighter". The War Zone. 9 April 2021. Archived from the original on 4 March 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.


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