CHRISTCHURCH, Recent Zealand — Nine years after development of South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae began, the federal government has signed a take care of Korea Aerospace Industries for the production of 20 fighter jets.
The order comes as KAI reports the fighter’s development is currently 80% complete.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration awarded KAI the 1.96 trillion won contract (U.S. $1.41 billion) for the Block 1 batch, the corporate announced June 25. The platforms are considered 4.5-generation aircraft.
The primary aircraft shall be delivered by the top of 2026, and the ultimate from this series by Aug. 31, 2027, based on KAI.
“Despite many challenges and difficulties, the KF-21 system development project was capable of reach mass production stably, because of the solid cooperation of related organizations,” KAI President Kang Goo-young said in a news release.
Jinseok Song, who works on the firm’s KF-X program management team, named after the initial title for the KF-21, told Defense News last 12 months that the corporate would manufacture 40 KF-21 Block I and 80 Block II aircraft. Nevertheless, DAPA has initially ordered 20, per recommendations from the government-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses.
The federal government may order one other 20 next 12 months, after further verification of the aircraft’s performance.
Song said production for Block II, slated for development from 2026 to 2028, will add air-to-ground capabilities and an expanded performance envelope. About 2,200 test sorties are to be flown by 2026.
KAI has been preparing for this production contract by readying a supply chain of 600 domestic firms, constructing production facilities and acquiring tools. KAI goals to attain a localization rate of 65% for the aircraft.
The KF-21 will replace South Korea’s F-4 and F-5 fighters, with the previous having retired this month.
Additional agreements
DAPA also recently signed a contract with Hanwha Systems for 20 energetic electronically scanned array radars for 110 billion won.
And on June 25, Hanwha Aerospace announced it inked a 556 billion won contract to supply 40 General Electric F414-GE-400 engines plus spares for the primary rating of KF-21s.
The primary engine is predicted to be ready by the top of 2025 and shall be produced at a brand new factory in Changwon. With the capability to fabricate 300 engines annually, Hanwha Aerospace broke ground for this latest $30 million facility in April.
Hanwha Aerospace has reportedly manufactured greater than 10,000 aircraft engines over the past 45 years, 82% of which were produced under license.
“This contract serves as a stepping stone for Hanwha Aerospace’s plans to develop next-generation engine technologies,” the corporate said.
The firm added that it “is actively pursuing research and development in sixth-generation engine technology.”
Similarly, looking beyond the KF-21, KAI said it should “further develop sixth-generation manned and unmanned system technology.”
Gordon Arthur is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. After a 20-year stint working in Hong Kong, he now resides in Recent Zealand. He has attended military exercises and defense exhibitions in about 20 countries across the Asia-Pacific region.