South Korea officially completed the development of its first domestically produced KF-21 fighter aircraft on Wednesday, marking a major milestone in its efforts to replace its aging fleet of US-made F-4 and F-5 fighter jets. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration confirmed that the 8.8 trillion won project, which was originally launched in 2015, passed its final combat suitability review in May after clearing all necessary operational performance requirements.
Since the unveiling of the first prototype in 2021, the advanced fighter program has conducted more than 1,600 successful flight trials without a single accident. DAPA Minister Lee Yong-cheol praised the accomplishment as a testament to the dedication of technical experts and the steadfast support of the public. Indonesia also participated in the development project as an international partner, agreeing to share costs in exchange for technology transfers and a prototype aircraft.
The state arms procurement agency plans to deliver the first operational KF-21 jet to the Republic of Korea Air Force in September. Under the overall deployment roadmap, South Korea aims to deliver an initial batch of 40 KF-21 fighters by 2028, followed by an additional 80 upgraded aircraft by 2032 to bring the total operational fleet to 120 jets.
