A KF-21 fighter jet, South Korea’s homegrown 4.5-generation fighter aircraft (Korea Aerospace Industries) South Korea has completed all planned test flights for the KF-21 fighter jet, clearing the way for its deployment to the military later this year, the country’s arms procurement agency said Tuesday.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said the final test flight was conducted Monday over the southern sea off Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, using the fourth prototype aircraft, marking the completion of the jet’s full development flight test program.
The KF-21 project was led by Korea Aerospace Industries in cooperation with the Agency for Defense Development, involving 225 domestic companies, more than 10 government-funded research institutes, as well as the Defense Ministry and the Air Force.
According to DAPA, the KF-21 completed around 1,600 test flights over the past 42 months without a single accident, verifying more than 13,000 test conditions. The agency said the results comprehensively confirmed the aircraft’s flight stability, performance and operational capabilities as a 4.5-generation fighter.
The KF-21 program traces its roots back to the late 1990s, when South Korea began studies for a homegrown fighter to replace its aging US-made F-4 and F-5 aircraft. The project received final government approval in 2010, with full-scale system development officially launched in 2015. The first prototype was rolled out in April 2021, followed by its maiden flight in July 2022.
DAPA said it plans to conclude the KF-21’s system development in the first half of this year and begin delivering mass-produced aircraft to the Air Force in the second half.
“The KF-21 represents the culmination of South Korea’s aviation technology,” said Noh Ji-man, head of DAPA’s KF-21 program. “We expect it to stand shoulder to shoulder with advanced fighter jets in the global market.”
He added that DAPA would make every effort to ensure that follow-up weapons tests, mass production and operational deployment proceed smoothly.
Test pilots and officials pose for a photo in front of the KF-21 prototype during a ceremony commemorating the completion of its final development flight tests on Monday in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. (Defense Acquisition Program Administration) flylikekite@heraldcorp.com