Jump to content

KAI KF-21 Boramae

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

KF-21 Boramae
side view of a jet fighter model
A flight testing of KF-21 prototype 001 on 18 August 2022
General information
TypeBlock 1: Air superiority fighter[1]
Block 2: Multirole combat aircraft, air superiority fighter[1]
National originSouth Korea
ManufacturerKorea Aerospace Industries / Indonesian Aerospace
DesignerAgency for Defense Development[2]
Primary userRepublic of Korea Air Force
Number built6 prototypes[3]
History
Introduction date2026 (planned)[1]
First flight19 July 2022

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][4] The airframe uses stealth technology but carries weapons externally,[5][6] and features such as internal bays will be introduced later with KF-21EX program.[7][8] The KAI KF-X is South Korea's second domestic fighter jet development program, following the FA-50.[9]

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,[10] and the remaining 20% is held by private partners including the manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).[9] 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.[11]

In April 2021, the first prototype was completed and unveiled during a rollout ceremony at the headquarters of KAI at Sacheon Airport.[12] It was named the Boramae[note 1] (Korean: 보라매, "young hawk" or "fighting hawk").[13][14] 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.[14] It will also be available for export.[15]

Background

[edit]
A KF-21 prototype 003 taxiing for a maiden flight at Sacheon Air Base
The KF-21 prototype 002 taking off

The KF-X advanced multirole jet fighter project, intended to produce modern warplanes to replace South Korea's aging F-4D/E Phantom II and F-5E/F Tiger II aircraft, was first announced in March 2001 by South Korean President Kim Dae-jung at a graduation ceremony of the Korea Air Force Academy.[16] In 2002, research and development (R&D) requirements were determined by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[17]: 18  The project was felt to be extremely ambitious, with the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA, a defense ministry think tank) doubtful of the country's ability to complete the complicated project.[18]

The development phase had numerous delays and postponements and its economic cost was debated, but the project received renewed interest following a 2008 feasibility study and attacks by North Korea in 2010.[18][19] Although the project carried risks and the expected per-unit cost would be significantly higher than purchasing from foreign manufacturers, the development of the domestic defense industry was deemed to be of national importance and was expected to have a ripple effect on high-tech industries.[17]: 22, 37 

In Indonesia, the KF-X development program is referred to as the IF-X program.[18][20] The Jakarta Globe reported that the completed aircraft would have received the designation F-33.[18] On 15 July 2010, a partnership was made with Indonesia, which would provide 20% of the funding for the KF-X project, cooperate with technological development through state-owned Indonesian Aerospace, and purchase 50 of the approximately 150–200 planned aircraft.[16]

Turkey had been considering joining with a 20% share, but wanted more control than South Korea had offered. The South Korean government committed to 60% of the cost.[18] The remaining 20% was provided by domestic and foreign companies.[17]: 18  The contract formed a plan for delivery of the aircraft to begin in 2026.[21]

In July 2022, the Polish Armaments Agency said it is closely watching the development of the KF-21 Boramae, potentially paving a way for purchase of future Block 2 version of the fighter jet.[22]

The Philippine Air Force and the Peruvian Air Force have expressed interest in the aircraft.[23][24]

In May 2023, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said that the KF-21 had passed the provisional combat suitability evaluation, to begin the initial mass production process in 2024.[25]

Starting with the first prototype on 19 July 2022, six prototypes flew maiden flights until June 2023. The six prototypes will be tested for performance verification.[26]

Design and development

[edit]
KF-21 prototype 006 demonstrating basic fighter maneuvers in Seoul ADEX 2023

The initial goal for the program was to develop a single-seat twin-engine multirole fighter with stealth capabilities exceeding both the Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon but less than those of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.[18] The Weapon Systems Concept Development and Application Research Center of Konkuk University advised that the KF-X should be superior to the F-16 Fighting Falcon, with 50% greater combat range, 34% longer airframe lifespan, better avionics, active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, more-effective electronic warfare, and data link capabilities. Their recommendations specified approximately 50,000 pounds-force (220,000 N) of thrust from two engines, supersonic interception and cruising capabilities, and multi-role capabilities.[27] The project requirements were later downgraded by the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) to a 4.5 generation fighter with limited stealth capabilities.[18]

Hanwha Systems APY-016K AESA radar (left) and APS-016K signal processing unit (right)

South Korea possessed 65% of the necessary technology to produce the KF-X,[28][29] and sought cooperation from other countries.[27] To facilitate technology transfer, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) proposed two primary concepts for the KF-X: C103, which resembled the F-35,[18][30] and C203, which resembled European fighters with forward canards. The design chosen would depend upon whether a development deal was reached with the US or European partners.[18]

The C501 (a.k.a. KFX-E) was a third design,[18] proposed by KAI[30] and supported by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA),[31] which attempted to reduce costs with a smaller, single-engine fighter, but it had inferior performance to the F-16 and was unsuitable for the large airspace of Indonesia.[18] ROKAF preferred the benefits of a twin-engine design, with better combat performance and safety, and a larger airframe with room for upgrades. These upgrades could lead to a future reclassification as a fifth-generation fighter, while the C501 was closer to fourth generation.[31][32]

When the development team started designing the KFX in December 2015, research and design was conducted based on the C103 configuration. Upon receiving the basic drawings of the C103, C104, and C105 from ADD, the development team built an experimental model of the C105 and began a wind tunnel experiment on the newly designed C107, which increased the size of the aircraft and increased the max takeoff weight. After about 2 years of various wind tunnel experiments, in 2018, the C109 proposed by ADD and KAI was decided to be the prototype design of KFX.[33]

In May 2016, the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin tentatively agreed to transfer 21 technologies to KAI under the terms of offset trade, which is part of a contract for South Korea to introduce the F-35A.[34] Later, The US government blocked the transfer of four vital technologies: AESA radar, infrared search and track (IRST), electro-optical targeting pod (EO TGP), and radio frequency jammer (RF jammer) technology. South Korea was required to develop these technologies domestically.[18][35] A 2015 audit estimated that 87% of technologies for the project had been secured.[17]: 23  The preliminary design was finalized in June 2018.[36] In September 2019, a critical design review examined 390 technical data sets and confirmed that the KF-X was adequate to ROKAF's requirements.[37][38][39]

Differences between design configurations

[edit]
A subsonic wind tunnel test of the scale model of KF-X C105 at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute
[34][40][41][42] KAI C501 ADD C103 ADD C104 ADD / KAI C105 ADD / KAI C107 ADD / KAI C109
Empty weight 9,300 kg (20,500 lb) 10,900 kg (24,000 lb) 11,090 kg (24,450 lb) 11,100 kg (24,420 lb) 11,600 kg (25,500 lb) 11,800 kg (26,000 lb)
Max takeoff weight 20,900 kg (46,000 lb) 24,000 kg (53,000 lb) 24,100 kg (53,200 lb) 24,500 kg (53,900 lb) 25,800 kg (56,900 lb) 25,400 kg (56,000 lb)
Internal fuel 3,600 kg (8,000 lb) 5,400 kg (12,000 lb) 5,400 kg (12,000 lb) 5,400 kg (12,000 lb) >5,400 kg (12,000 lb) 5,400 kg (12,000 lb)
Wingspan 9.8 meters (32 ft) 10.7 meters (35.2 ft) 10.7 meters (35.2 ft) 11.0 meters (36.08 ft) 11.2 meters (36.7 ft) 11.2 meters (36.75 ft)
Length 15.2 meters (50 ft) 15.7 meters (51.3 ft) 15.7 meters (51.3 ft) 16.0 meters (52.49 ft) 16.8 meters (55.1 ft) 16.9 meters (55.4 ft)
Wing area 37.1 square meters (399 sq ft) 42.7 square meters (460 sq ft) 42.7 square meters (460 sq ft) 42.7 square meters (460 sq ft) 46.5 square meters (501 sq ft)
Engine 1 × P&W F100 or GE F110 2 × EJ200 or GE F414 2 × GE F414 2 × GE F414 2 × GE F414 2 × GE F414
Maximum speed Mach 1.89 Mach 1.97 Mach 1.97
Hardpoints 9 10 10 10 10 10
Weapons bay None Space provided Space provided Space provision Space provision Space provision

Prototypes

[edit]
Prototype 001
Prototype 002
Prototype 003
Prototype 004
Prototype 005
Prototype 006
Tail emblem of KF-21 prototype aircraft
Two KF-21 prototypes during flight testing

In February 2019, KAI began production work on the KF-X prototype, with six expected to be completed in 2021. These will undergo four years of trials, and complete the development process by mid-2026.[43] The first prototype was publicly rolled out on 9 April 2021. In addition to the six aircraft for airborne tests, two will be made for ground tests.[44] The first test flight occurred on 19 July 2022. The aircraft bore the flags of South Korea and Indonesia and took off from Sacheon Airbase for 33 minutes.[45][46]

Six flying prototypes, including two two-seat versions, will conduct 2,200 flights until mass production begins in 2026. 40 Block-1 jets will have an interim capability limited to air-to-air duties, then the following 80 Block-2 jets from 2028 will add air-to-ground engagement. Later developments will include equipping the KF-21 with a domestically developed air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) and hypersonic missile.[45][46]

A second KF-21 flew in November 2022 and a third in January 2023, achieving the aircraft's first supersonic flight in January. The first two-seat KF-21 prototype flew in February 2023. The two-seater's primary role will initially be type conversion. DAPA is considering other operational missions that would be more suited to a two-seat platform including electronic warfare.[47]

Tests

[edit]
A maiden flight of KF-21 prototypes
KF-21 prototype 006 on maiden flight
The airframe is artificially icing during environmental testing of KF-21 prototype 004
KF-21 prototype 005 takes on fuel from the Republic of Korea Air Force KC-330 Cygnus multi role tanker transport during aerial refueling tests
The aerial refueling receptacle on top of the KF-21 Boramae

In January 2022, The final assembly of the 4.5-generation fighter jet KF-21 Boramae has been unveiled for the first time.[48]

In March 2022, ground testing was conducted for the AESA radar, a core component of the fighter jet KF-21. The AESA radar of the KF-21 is equipped with about 1,000 transmit/receive modules and electronically steers the radar beam by adjusting the phase of the radio waves.[49]

In April 2022, the AESA radar, the 'eyes' of the Korean fighter jet, began its domestic flight tests in earnest. By the first half of 2023, all developed functional and performance requirements of the AESA radar were verified through flight tests. Various flight scenarios and repeated tests improved the completeness and reliability of the AESA radar. In South Africa, a civilian aircraft (Boeing 737-500) was modified to create a test aircraft (FTB: Flying Test Bed) equipped with the AESA radar. From November to December 2021, a total of 10 sorties were conducted to test the basic functions and performance of the radar, including its most critical performance, maximum detection range.[50][51]

On July 6, 2022, the first prototype of the KF-21 conducted a ramp taxi test in preparation for its maiden flight.[52][53][54][55]

On July 7, 2022, the final engine run test[56] and a high speed taxi test for the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet was conducted in preparation for its maiden flight.[57]

On July 19, 2022, the South Korean fighter jet KF-21 Boramae successfully completed its maiden flight. The KF-21 took off at 3:40 PM and landed at 4:13 PM, marking a successful 33-minute first flight. It will undergo approximately 2,000 flight tests in the future to verify various performance aspects and weapons compatibility.[58][59][60]

On September 28, 2022, the Republic of Korea Air Force released a video demonstrating the KF-21 Boramae's landing gear operation during flight, addressing public curiosity about the mechanics of the landing gears and caps.[61]

A video of the first flight of the KF-21 second prototype has been released. The second prototype took off from Sacheon Air Base in South Gyeongsang Province on November 10, tested its flight performance for 35 minutes, and landed safely.[62]

On January 3, 2023, the third prototype of the fighter jet KF-21 successfully completed its first test flight. The KF-21 third prototype took off from the 3rd Training Wing in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province at 1:01 PM and landed at 1:38 PM. The first test flight recorded a maximum speed of 370 km/h and a maximum altitude of 4,600 meters, which is similar to the levels achieved by the first and second prototypes. The third prototype is a versatile, multipurpose prototype equipped with speed and structural load expansion measurement systems. It is expected to facilitate smoother speed and structural load expansion tests, which constitute a significant portion of the KF-21 system development flight tests.[63][64]

On January 17, 2023, the KF-21 fighter jet, developed with domestic technology, successfully achieved its first supersonic flight. The KF-21 first prototype took off from the Air Force's 3rd Training Wing and broke the sound barrier (Mach 1.0, approximately 1,224 km/h) for the first time while flying at an altitude of about 40,000 feet over the South Sea. With this supersonic breakthrough, South Korea now possesses a supersonic aircraft developed with domestic technology.[65]

On February 20, 2023, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced that the fourth prototype of the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet successfully completed its maiden flight, taking off from the 3rd Training Wing in Sacheon at 11:19 AM and landing at 11:53 AM after a 34-minute flight. Unlike the single-seat prototypes, the fourth prototype is a two-seat aircraft with seats arranged in tandem, accommodating two pilots. The two-seat KF-21 will primarily be used for training new pilots (prototype composition: 4 single-seat (prototypes 1, 2, 3, 5), 2 two-seat (prototypes 4, 6)). Despite being a two-seat aircraft, only one pilot flew the fourth prototype for this initial flight to verify early flight stability. Until the completion of system development in June 2026, the fourth prototype will undergo various flight tests to assess the impact of design differences on the aircraft, perform AESA radar avionics tests, and more. The livery of the fourth prototype features an image of four aircraft simultaneously ascending into the sky on the vertical tail, similar to the third prototype, but with yellow-colored ascending aircraft. With the fifth and sixth prototypes starting flight tests in the first half of 2023, all six prototypes will continue expanding the flight envelope and verifying aircraft performance through continuous flight tests.[66]

On March 9, 2023, KF-21 prototypes 3 and 4 successfully completed a night flight test and landed safely. During this test flight, the proper functioning of both internal and external lighting systems on the aircraft was verified in a low-light environment. The lighting on the aircraft plays an important role in night flights, including collision avoidance and identification of instruments for the pilot. With this successful test, it is expected that the KF-21 will be capable of performing nighttime missions.[67]

On March 28, 2023, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced, 'The KF-21 successfully conducted air-to-air weapon separation tests and aerial gun firing tests over the South Sea, taking off from the Air Force's 3rd Training Wing in Sacheon.' The second KF-21 prototype conducted weapon separation tests with Meteor medium-range air-to-air missile test round, while the third prototype performed aerial gun firing tests with around 100 rounds. These tests aimed to verify the safety by checking changes in the aircraft's structure, engine, and aerodynamic characteristics that can occur when weapons are separated or guns are fired from the fighter jet, and to confirm the normal operation of avionics systems related to weapon operation. Since its maiden flight in July 2022, the KF-21 has conducted approximately 150 flight tests, successfully verifying its supersonic flight capabilities and the performance of advanced avionics including the AESA radar.[68]

On April 4, 2023, the KF-21 successfully conducted a weapon separation test with AIM-2000 short-range air-to-air missile test round. This test aimed to verify the safety by checking for changes in the aircraft's structure, engine, and aerodynamic characteristics that can occur when weapons are separated from the fighter jet, and to confirm the normal operation of avionics systems related to weapon operation.[69]

On May 16, 2023, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced that the fifth prototype of the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet successfully completed its maiden flight, taking off from the 3rd Training Wing in Sacheon and flying over the South Sea. With the successful maiden flight of the fifth prototype, all four single-seat KF-21 prototypes have now completed their first flights. The fifth prototype will primarily conduct avionics performance verification tests, including those for the AESA radar, and is scheduled to undergo aerial refueling tests in the second half of 2023.[70]

On May 23, 2023, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration revealed the site of the mounting demonstration for the Meteor medium-range air-to-air missile and the AIM-2000 short-range air-to-air missile.[71]

On June 28, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced that the sixth prototype of the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet successfully completed its maiden flight, taking off from the 3rd Training Wing in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, and flying for 33 minutes from 3:49 PM to 4:22 PM. With the successful maiden flight of the sixth prototype, all six KF-21 flight test prototypes have now completed their first flights. This milestone comes 11 months after the first prototype's successful flight on July 19, 2022.[72]

On October 12, 2023, the KF-21 prototypes 3 and 4 conducted a formation flight.[73]

On October 20, 2023, at the Seoul ADEX, the supersonic fighter jet 'KF-21 Boramae' showcased its technological capabilities during a five-minute demonstration, performing maneuvers such as horizontal sharp turns and inverted flights. This was the first time the aircraft's flight performance was revealed to the public.[74]

On January 12, 2024, the KF-21 second prototype successfully conducted a high angle of attack (AOA) flight stability test. The aircraft maintained a maximum pitch angle of approximately 70 degrees, flew to an altitude of over 38,000 feet, and then successfully returned to a stable flight condition after reaching a low-speed state (below approximately 20 KCAS).[75]

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced that on the morning of the March 19th, 2024, the fifth prototype (single-seat) of the Korean fighter jet KF-21 successfully completed an aerial refueling flight over the South Sea after taking off from the Air Force's 3rd Training Wing in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. This achievement has secured the KF-21's long-range operational capability.[76][77]

On April 22, 2024, the KF-21 fourth prototype conducted a "full-scale environmental test" at the Agency for Defense Development's Haemi Test Center. This test verifies the aircraft's normal operation in extreme environments (low temperature, heavy rain, and icing). The test simulated extreme rain and icing conditions on the ground to check the KF-21's waterproof and anti-icing performance. The test results were successful.[78]

In May 2024, the Korean fighter jet KF-21 surpassed Mach 1.8, the highest speed achieved by a domestically produced fighter jet, during a test flight.[79]

On May 8, 2024, a KF-21 equipped with a Meteor missile successfully completed its test from Sacheon Airport. The same day, it also aced an AIM-2000 missile test, tracking a drone 87 km away and passing within 1 meter using AESA radar.[80]

Budget

[edit]

R&D expenditures

[edit]

A 2015 government audit placed the development cost of the project at ₩8.8 trillion[17]: 18  (equivalent to ₩9.06 trillion or US$8.01 billion in 2017)[81]. In an agreement signed at the end of 2015, Indonesia agreed to provide 20% of the development costs.[21] KAI would provide an additional 20%,[citation needed] and the Korean government would support the remainder.[21][better source needed]

Calendar
Year 		Expenditures on R&D Total Ref
Korea Indonesia
2011
2012		 ₩44 billion (US$39.06 million) ₩11 billion (US$9.77 million) ₩55 billion (US$48.83 million) [17]: 21 
Full Scale Development
Calendar
Year 		Expenditures on R&D Total
DOD KAI Indonesia
2015 ₩55.2 billion (US$48.8 million)[82] ? ?
2016 ₩67 billion (US$57.74 million)[83] ? ?
2017 ₩303 billion (US$268.04 million)[83] ? ?
2018 ₩435.3 billion (US$395.55 million)[84] ? ?
2019 ₩664 billion (US$569.78 million)[85] ? ?

Indonesian investment

[edit]
See also: KAI KF-21 Boramae § Indonesian renegotiation

In July 2010, the Indonesian government agreed to fund 20% of the KF-X project cost in return for prototype 005 (designated IF-X), system development participation, technical data, and production sharing.[86][34] In August 2011, a joint research center was opened in Daejeon, South Korea.[87][88] The second agreement between Indonesia and Korea was a work assignment agreement between KAI and Indonesia's state-owned aerospace manufacturer PT Dirgantara (PTDI). As per this agreement, PTDI sent 100 engineers to South Korea to take part in the structural design of the KF-21, to play a role in its development over time.[89]

In November 2017, Indonesia, through state-owned Indonesia Aerospace, failed to pay its share in the latest round of development costs, prompting criticism from South Korea.[18][90] As of 2019, Indonesia was renegotiating its involvement in the program.[36] FlightGlobal reported in July 2019 that Indonesia was exploring payment in Indonesia-produced armaments instead of cash.[39] By July 2019, Indonesia was approximately ₩300 billion in arrears.[91]

Based on a DAPA Korea statement in Yonhap, there were 114 Indonesian engineers participating during the peak of the KF-21 design phase in July 2019 and the development was ready to go to the prototyping stage after it met all of the requirements in September 2019.[92]

According to a September 2023 report from Yonhap, a respected media from South Korea owned by he Korean government, Indonesia had paid only US$208 million since 2016 on the research and development stage[93] Another report stated that Indonesia paid US$205 million for research and development and owed about US$420 million.[94] In December 2020, a report showed that Indonesia was likely to pull out of the project.[95] Another stated that South Korea and Indonesia planned to move forward on the KFX/IFX project.[96]

In August 2021, Indonesia reaffirmed its interest in the KF-21 program, with Indonesian engineers returning to South Korea to continue their work.[97] Further agreement on the costs has been reached between the two countries.[98][99]

According to reports in May 2022, the issue of Indonesia's unpaid US$4.2 million in development costs had not been resolved. In November 2021, Indonesia and South Korea agreed to draw up a new sharing agreement for development costs by March 2022, but it had not been implemented so far.[100] In November 2022, reportedly Indonesia has resumed payment for its share of the cost for a joint fighter development project.[101]

In September 2023 it was reported that Indonesia did not make its payments, and South Korea had signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), that the UAE would buy Indonesia's KF-21 shares and be part of the KF-21 program as a partner.[102] The rumors about the United Arab Emirates joining the KF-21 program was denied by DAPA Korea based on Korean government-owned media, Yonhap.[93] Indonesian Defense Ministry Technology Director Air Vice Marshal Dedy Laksmono confirmed to the press on 29 October 2023 that the budget for 2024 cost share payment had been set aside at 1.25 trillion rupiah (US$80 million).[103]

On February 21, 2024, on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Indonesia foreign minister Retno Marsudi and her counterpart South Korean foreign minister, Cho Tae-Yul, discussed the KF-21/IFX program, and both parties once again reaffirmed their commitment to continue the joint development program between the two countries.[104]

The Korea Aerospace CEO said in the Korean media that Indonesia entering the program is pretty significant for KF-21 development and the program could have been stalled if there was no continued Indonesia participation.[105]

On 16 August 2024, the 163rd Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee readjusted the development contributions Indonesia was supposed to pay from ₩1.6 trillion to ₩600 billion, and Indonesia's stake was reduced to 7.5% as the shortfall was decided to be covered by the Korean government's additional budget.[11]

Polish investment

[edit]

At the Polish-Korean Defense Industry Cooperation Conference in Warsaw in November 2022, Sebastian Chwałek, chairman of Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), a state-owned defense company, expressed his desire to participate in the KF-21 project.[106]

According to a South Korean government official, in May 2023, during a visit to Korea in mid-April 2023, Sebastian Chwałek, chairman of the PGZ, expressed Poland's desire to participate in the KF-21 project. Specifically, the Polish government wanted to join the project as a development partner in 2026, after the KF-21 Block-1 is developed and when Block-2 begins development. It is reported that the Polish government is discussing the possibility of acquiring Indonesia's stake in the program by paying the ₩800 billion in overdue contribution funds that the Indonesian government has failed to pay. PGZ reportedly plans to deliver a letter of intent to participate in development partners to the South Korean government soon through the Polish government. The South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration said it will begin a full-fledged review once it receives a letter of intent from the Polish government.[107]

Project partners

[edit]

While KAI was the primary builder, numerous other domestic and foreign companies were contracted to provide aircraft components or support. Several of these firms had worked with KAI on the T-50. For certain sensitive technologies, such as AESA radar, EO TGP, IRST and RF jammer, foreign companies were only consulted for testing support and technical advice in order to avoid arms-trading restrictions.[108][109][110]

Hanwha Aerospace signed an agreement with General Electric to manufacture General Electric F414 engines for KF-X aircraft. According to the contract, Hanwha is to manufacture key parts, locally assemble the engines, and oversee the installation of the engine on the aircraft. The company will support flight testing and build an extensive support system for the aircraft's operations.[111][112][113]

AESA radar was co-developed with Hanwha Systems under the leadership of the ADD.[114][115] Elta Systems helped to test the demonstrative prototype hardware of the AESA radar developed by Hanwha Systems.[108][116] Saab provided technical advice to LIG Nex1, which develops Multi Function Radar (MFR) software for AESA radars.[117][109]

IRST is based on the processor unit (PU) designed by Hanwha Systems and a Leonardo sensor head unit (SHU) called the SkyWard-K with modified back-end and a Korean software that replaces the original program.[118][119][120][121]

Integrated electronic warfare equipment including RF jammer was developed by LIG Nex1.[122][123][124]

US aerospace contractor Texstars was selected by KAI to develop canopy and windshield transparencies for KF-X. Under the contract, Texstars will work alongside KAI to provide the KF-X fighter with birdstrike resistant transparencies with high-quality optics.[125][126]

Triumph Group was selected by KAI to provide airframe mounted accessory drives (AMADs) for the KF-X. Triumph will develop and manufacture the AMADs, which transfer engine power to other systems.[127][128]

Aeronautical Systems [es] (Spanish: Compañía Española de Sistemas Aeronáuticos, CESA), a subsidiary of Héroux-Devtek, was contracted to develop the emergency braking system.[129][130]

United Technologies announced in February 2018 that it was providing the environmental control system, including cabin pressurization and liquid cooling systems, as well as the air turbine starter and flow control valve.[131][132]

Martin-Baker was contracted to provide the Mk18 ejection seat escape mechanism.[110][133]

Cobham received contracts to provide missile ejection launchers, communications antennae, external fuel tanks, and oxygen systems.[134]

Meggitt was contracted to provide a wheel braking system,[135] standby flight displays, and internal sensors including a fire detection system.[136][137][138]

MBDA was contracted to integrate the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) onto the aircraft.[139][140]

Elbit Systems was contracted by Hanwha Systems to provide terrain-following/terrain avoidance (TF/TA) systems for the aircraft.[141][142]

Curtiss-Wright was contracted by KAI to Provide complete flight test instrumentation (FTI) system, it is data acquisition system (DAS) for use in flight-test campaigns.[143][144]

Controversies

[edit]

Foreign bribery allegations

[edit]

In October 2009, a retired ROKAF general was arrested for leaking classified documents to Saab. The general was alleged to have been given a bribe of several hundred thousand dollars for copies of a number of secret documents that he had photographed. Saab officials denied any involvement.[145][146][147]

The Defense Security Command (DSC) found evidence that another foreign defense firm had also bribed a member of the Security Management Institute (SMI). President Lee Myung-bak believed that such corruption resulted in a 20% increase in the defense budget.[148][needs update]

Opposition

[edit]

In 2017, the Korean defense think tank KIDA told a public meeting that South Korea is not technologically equipped to develop the KF-X aircraft, that the project is economically unviable and that the KF-X would not be a successful export product. It also questioned the ADD cost estimates.[149] DAPA's estimated ₩6 trillion development cost was criticized by some analysts, who said the project could cost up to ₩8.5 trillion.[150][151]

Defense researcher Lee Juhyeong held a seminar on the program, stating that the KF-X development would cost more than ₩10 trillion (US$9.2 billion) and could cost more than twice as much as an imported aircraft over the life of the program.[152]

Critics noted that the KF-X would cost up to twice as much as a top-end F-16 model and that Japan had encountered a similar situation with its Mitsubishi F-2.[153]

EADS funding pullout

[edit]

In May 2013, EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company), the defense subsidiary of Airbus, offered a US$2 billion investment into the KF-X program, if South Korea selected its Eurofighter Typhoon for the F-X Phase 3 fighter procurement program.[154] The US F-35A was selected instead. EADS repeated its investment offer, for a split-buy of 40 Eurofighters and 20 F-35As.[155] In September 2017, South Korea confirmed purchase of 40 F-35 fighter jets, causing EADS to withdraw its offer.[156]

Postponements and delays

[edit]

The KF-X project had a history of delays and postponements since its announcement in 2001. Foreign partners were sought to share costs and guarantee purchases, and several failed attempts were made to entice Sweden, Turkey, and the United States to join the project. Design concepts and requirements frequently changed while trying to appeal to prospective partners. In March 2013, following the election of President Park Geun-hye, South Korea postponed the project for 18 months, due to financial issues.[150][151]

In February 2017, Indonesian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir said that the KF-X project was further delayed because the US government had refused export licenses for four key F-35 technologies. This disapproval was reaffirmed in October 2015 talks, though the US military stated that there was an agreement to form an interagency working group on such issues and that the US Secretary of Defense would "think of ways for joint cooperation" with technology for KF-X.[157][158][159]

In November 2017, state-owned Indonesia Aerospace was overdue in its funding payment, which National Assembly Defense Committee member Kim Jong-Dae said would further delay, or suspend the project.[160][161] Kim said that the Indonesian government had disclosed its difficulty in paying and did not include the payment in its budget. DAPA stated that it was in talks with Indonesia regarding the payment, which would be discussed at a summit between leaders of the countries.[90][needs update] Indonesia stated that it was an administrative error, as it was falsely thought that the payment would be made from the "side defense budget". Parliamentary approval was required to correct the error,[162] and the payment was delivered along with a statement of hope that the program would continue without further delinquencies.[163]

Indonesian renegotiation

[edit]

On 1 May 2018, it was reported that Indonesia had complaints concerning the contract rules surrounding technical benefits and export licensing. Indonesian state media announced that the defense ministry would renegotiate the joint development program in an attempt to gain a larger share of local production, as well as export rights. The Indonesian defense ministry added that it hoped that the program would continue despite setbacks.[164]

Renegotiation talks continued into 2019. According to the agenda of a January 2019 meeting, Indonesia sought to extend its involvement in the program to 2031, and was interested in making part of its payments in trade for Indonesian-produced defense equipment.[39][165] By August, Indonesia had transport aircraft on offer along with commodities.[166][91]

In August 2021, Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to the KF-21 program.[97] Cost negotiations were achieved and agreed by both parties in 2021.[98][99] In May 2022 it was reported that the issue of development payments had not yet been resolved.[100] In November 2022, it was reported that Indonesia had resumed payment for its share of the costs.[101] As of February 4, 2024, Indonesia is still in arrears of around US$1 billion in payment.

Indonesian engineers' alleged technology theft

[edit]

On 2 February 2024, the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Defense Counterintelligence Command (DCC) announced a joint investigation into whether Indonesian engineers dispatched to KAI violated the Defense Technology Security Act for allegedly attempting to steal classified KF-21 technical data after storing it on an unauthorized USB drive.[167][168] According to the investigation authorities, on 17 January 2024, an Indonesian engineer was reported to have been caught attempting to take eight USB drives containing 49 confidential data related to KF-21 out of the company, and also included sensitive data of the European and U.S. subcontractors with restricted exports to third countries and avionics only accessible to KAI officials.[169][170]

On 11 March 2024, the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), which is investigating the case at the request of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), decided to expand its investigation after circumstantial evidence emerged that another Indonesian engineer was involved in the crime, and an initial investigation result report by NIS and DCC revealed that about 4,000 to 6,600 KF-21 data, including 3D design drawings of the aircraft, were stored on USB drives.[171]

On 15 March 2024, for an in-depth investigation, the security investigation department of the South Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency dispatched 10 investigators to the Indonesian engineer's home and KAI office to conduct a search and seizure.[172]

Variants

[edit]

South Korean variants

[edit]

KF-21 Block I

[edit]

The block I focuses on the air-superiority capabilities.[173]

KF-21 Block II

[edit]

After further developments, the KF-21 will become a swing role fighters with attack and reconnaissance capabilities added.[174]

Potential variants

[edit]

KF-21N

[edit]

In September 2022, KAI unveiled a model of the KF-21N, a carrier-based version of the fighter. In May 2022, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) decided to drop funding for the CVX, a planned small aircraft carrier capable of operating STOVL F-35B jets. It was later clarified that the MND would consider purchasing a larger aircraft carrier design, if a maritime jet fighter could be developed indigenously. Anticipating this, KAI began a preliminary design concept to make the KF-21 carrier-capable. The wings are 20% larger to ensure safety and stabilization when taking off and landing, and they fold for more compact storage. Structural changes would make the airframe capable of CATOBAR and STOBAR operations.

If the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) decides to procure an aircraft carrier large enough to operate fighters and identifies a requirement, KAI claims it would be able to build the KF-21N "in a few years."[175][176]

KF-21EA

[edit]

One of the three new variants revealed in June 2024. Will serve as an electronic warfare aircraft comparable to the EA-18G Growler. This variant would be based on the two-seat KF-21B, with a position at the back for the electronic warfare officer.[177]

KF-21EX

[edit]

One of the three new variants revealed in June 2024. Will reportedly be a fully stealth variant with reduced radar cross signature and internal weapons bay for weapons carriage. It is also expected to integrate the Next Air Combat System (NACS), a combat network for the air force.[177]

KF-21SA

[edit]

One of the three new variants revealed in June 2024. Will reportedly be a variant specifically dedicated to the export market, with opportunities for the client to modify the aircraft.[177]

Operators

[edit]

Current operators

[edit]
 South Korea

Potential operators

[edit]
 Indonesia (unclear status)
As of May 2024, Indonesia is reducing its contribution to the development. In 2016, the agreement was for USD $6.59 billion for 48 planes by 2026.[179]

Specifications (single seat aircraft)

[edit]
Front view of KF-21 Boramae
Side view of KF-21 Boramae
Top view of KF-21 Boramae
KF-21 three-view drawing

Data from Korea Aerospace Industries,[180][181] Hanwha Systems[182] and LIG Nex1[183][184]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1 or 2[4]
  • Length: 16.9 m (55 ft 4 in) [181]
  • Wingspan: 11.2 m (36 ft 7 in) [181]
  • Height: 4.7 m (15 ft 4 in) [181]
  • Wing area: 46.5 m2 (501 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 11,800 kg (26,015 lb)
  • Gross weight: 17,200 kg (37,920 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 25,600 kg (56,400 lb) [180][181]
  • Fuel capacity: 6,000 kg (13,227 lb) internal[185]
  • Payload: 7,700 kg (17,000 lb) external[180][181]
  • Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F414-GE-400K, manufactured under license by Hanwha Aerospace turbofan, 57.8 kN (13,000 lbf) thrust each [186] dry, 97.9 kN (22,000 lbf) with afterburner

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 2,200 km/h (1,400 mph, 1,200 kn) [180][181]
  • Maximum speed: Mach 1.81[187][28]
  • Combat range: 1,000 km (620 mi, 540 nmi) (estimated)[188]
  • Ferry range: 2,900 km (1,800 mi, 1,550 nmi) [180][181]

Armament

Avionics

See also

[edit]

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e "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. ^ https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024/02/02/south-korea-to-start-mass-production-of-kf-21-fighter-jets
  4. ^ a b "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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ T. Washington Institute
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "KFX/IFX program is continued, Government should chose the design (Translation from Indonesian)". Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.
  11. ^ a b "제163회 방위사업추진위원회 결과". Defense Acquisition Program Administration. 16 August 2024. Archived from the original on 23 August 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "국립국어원 표준국어대사전". Standard Korean Language Dictionary. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ a b Priyambodo, RH (11 July 2011). "RI sending KFX jet-fighter production team to South Korea". Antara News. Jakarta. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  17. ^ a b c d e f "한국형 전투기 개발 계획： KF-X 사업(보라매사업)-pdf" [Korean fighter development plan:KF-X project (Boramae project)] (PDF) (in Korean). 국회입법조사처. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "KF-X Fighter: Korea's Future Homegrown Jet". Defense Industry Daily. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  19. ^ "S. Korea considers building own stealth fighter jets". Yonhap News Agency. 27 December 2010. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  20. ^ "PT. Dirgantara Indonesia (Persero)". www.indonesian-aerospace.com. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  21. ^ a b c "South Korea and KAI to sign formal contract on KF-X development program next week". airrecognition.com. 24 December 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  22. ^ Wojciech L (4 August 2022). "Polish Air Force Seeking More Air Superiority Fighters". OvertDefence. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  23. ^ Nepomuceno, Priam (16 August 2022). "PAF eyes SoKor's 'Boramae' multi-role, supersonic aircraft". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  24. ^ "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 12 April 2023.
  25. ^ "KF-21 passes provisional combat suitability evaluation". JoongAng Ilbo. 16 May 2023. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  26. ^ Han Sang-heon (10 July 2023). "KF-21 시제기 모두 하늘 날다 시제 6호기까지 최초비행 성공". Korea Aerospace Industries. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Turkey could join Korea's fighter plan". The Korea Times. 8 September 2010. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  28. ^ a b c d e f "KAI, 대한민국 첫 전투기'KF-21 보라매'시제기 출고". Korea Aerospace Industries. 9 April 2021. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  29. ^ Song Yeong-chan (1 March 2021). "국산 첫 전투기 베일 벗었다…KFX사업 24조원 생산유발 효과". The Korea Economic Daily. Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  30. ^ a b Waldron, Greg (29 October 2013). "PICTURES: KAI shows off two designs for KFX fighter". Flightglobal.com. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019.
  31. ^ a b Kang, Seung-woo (3 March 2014). "Design of long-delayed KF-X still in debate". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015.
  32. ^ "Seoul speeds up fighter jet development plan". The Korea Herald. 8 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017.
  33. ^ Kwon Hong-woo (15 June 2018). "[권홍우 선임기자의 무기이야기] 기체 커지고 중량 늘어나고...KF-X, 2년 반만에 최종모델 눈앞". The Seoul Economic Daily. Archived from the original on 15 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  34. ^ a b c "한국형전투기(KF-X) 사업 추진 현황". Defense Acquisition Program Administration. 10 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  35. ^ "국방기술 연구개발 투자 1조 원 시대를 열다". Defense Acquisition Program Administration. 6 September 2021. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  36. ^ a b Dominguez, Gabriel (26 September 2019). "KF-X fighter prototype to be rolled out in first half of 2021, DAPA confirms". Jane's 360. Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 27 September 2019.
  37. ^ "S. Korea to produce prototype indigenous combat jet by 2021". Seoul: Yonhap News Agency. 26 September 2019. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019.
  38. ^ "Korean fighter project enters prototype production phase". The Hankyoreh. 28 September 2019. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019.
  39. ^ a b c Waldron, Greg (27 September 2019). "K-FX CDR sets stage for prototype production". Flight Global. Singapore. Archived from the original on 20 November 2019.
  40. ^ "KAI Magazine VOL.171". Korea Aerospace Industries. March 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024. Alt URL
  41. ^ Kwon Hong-woo (15 June 2018). "[권홍우 선임기자의 무기이야기] 기체 커지고 중량 늘어나고...KF-X, 2년 반만에 최종모델 눈앞". Sedaily. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  42. ^ Shin Seon-gyu (21 August 2020). "KF-X 전투기 C-109형과 복좌형". Defense Today. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  43. ^ Grevatt, Jon (18 February 2019). "KAI reaches early production milestone on KFX". Jane's 360. Jane's Defence Industry. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019.
  44. ^ Korea's KF-X Fighter Named KF-21 Boramae at Rollout. Aviation International News. 9 April 2021.
  45. ^ a b South Korea's KF-21 Boramae Takes To the Air. Aviation International News. 19 July 2022.
  46. ^ a b South Korea records successful maiden flight test of its KF-21 fighter jet. Defense News. 19 July 2022.
  47. ^ South Korean Industry Flies First Two-seat KF-21 Boramae Fighter. Aviation International News. 21 February 2023.
  48. ^ [1]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. January 2022.
  49. ^ [2]. BEMIL. March 2022.
  50. ^ [3]. BEMIL. April 2022.
  51. ^ [4]. BEMIL. April 2022.
  52. ^ [5]. Korea Aerospace Industries. July 6, 2022.
  53. ^ [6]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. July 6, 2022.
  54. ^ [7]. BEMIL. July 2022.
  55. ^ [8]. BEMIL. July 2022.
  56. ^ [9]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. July 7, 2022.
  57. ^ [10]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. July 7, 2022.
  58. ^ [11]. July 19, 2022.
  59. ^ [12]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. July 19, 2022.
  60. ^ [13]. Republic of Korea Air Force. July 19, 2022.
  61. ^ [14]. Republic of Korea Air Force. September 28, 2022.
  62. ^ [15]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. November 10, 2022.
  63. ^ [16]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. January 3, 2023.
  64. ^ [17]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. January 3, 2023.
  65. ^ [18]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. January 17, 2023.
  66. ^ [19]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. February 20, 2023.
  67. ^ [20]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. March 9, 2023.
  68. ^ [21]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. March 28, 2023.
  69. ^ [22]. Republic of Korea Air Force. April 4, 2023.
  70. ^ [23]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. May 16, 2023.
  71. ^ [24]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. May 23, 2023.
  72. ^ [25]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. June 28, 2023.
  73. ^ [26]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. Oct 12 2023.
  74. ^ [27]. BEMIL. Octorber 20 2023.
  75. ^ [28]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. January 12, 2024.
  76. ^ [29]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. March 19, 2024.
  77. ^ [30]. Republic of Korea Air Force. March 19, 2024.
  78. ^ [31]. Defense Acquisition Program Administration. April 22, 2024.
  79. ^ [32]. TVCHOSUN. May 2024.
  80. ^ [33]. Donga. May 8, 2024.
  81. ^ 1906 to 1911: Williamson J. (1999), Nominal Wage, Cost of Living, Real Wage and Land Rent Data for Korea 1906-1939 1912 to 1939: Mizoguchi, T. (1972). Consumer Prices and Real Wages in Taiwan and Korea Under Japanese Rule. Hitotsubashi Journal of Economics, 13(1), 40-56. Retrieved May 21, 2021. Afterwards, consumer price index from Statistics Korea. Consumer Price Index by year. Retrieved 3 April 2018
  82. ^ "2015년도 국방예산 37조 4,560억 원으로 확정" (in Korean). bemil.chosun.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  83. ^ a b "2017년도 국방예산 40조 3,347억 원으로 확정" (in Korean). bemil.chosun.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  84. ^ "신정부 첫 해, 국방예산 7.0% 증액된 43.2조원 확정 / 국방부 제공" (in Korean). bemil.chosun.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  85. ^ "국방예산, 전년대비 8.2% 증가한 46.7조원으로 확정" (in Korean). bemil.chosun.com. Archived from the original on 23 January 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  86. ^ Indonesia-Korsel Kembangkan Jet KF-X – KOMPAS.com Archived 18 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Internasional.kompas.com (15 July 2010). Retrieved on 2011-04-26.
  87. ^ "Indonesia, South Korea Launch Stealth Jet Project". Straits Times Indonesia. 2 August 2011. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011.
  88. ^ "South Korea, Indonesia to establish KF-X research centre". 2 August 2011.
  89. ^ "Indonesia, South Korea Move Closer to New Fighter Jet with Key Pacts".
  90. ^ a b Kim Hyo-jin (1 November 2017). "Indonesia factor may postpone KF-X project". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  91. ^ a b Jung Da-min (29 July 2019). "Cost-sharing problem emerges over fighter jet project". koreatimes. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  92. ^ Seok-min, Oh (7 October 2019). "Indonesia delays payment for S. Korea's fighter development project". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  93. ^ a b 박, 수윤 (18 September 2023). "방사청, 'UAE와 KF-21 개발 협력' 보도에 "사실무근"". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  94. ^ "Indonesia funding issue re-emerges for KF-X". Flight Global Post. 8 September 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  95. ^ "Indonesia appears likely to withdraw from joint fighter jet project". Joong Ang Daily. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  96. ^ "S. Korea, Indonesia vow to move forward fighter jet project". Yonhap News Agency. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  97. ^ a b Waldron, Greg (12 August 2021). "Jakarta reaffirms interest in KF-21/IF-X; engineers returning to Korea". Flight Global. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  98. ^ a b Waldron2021-11-12T05:50:00+00:00, Greg. "Jakarta, Seoul bridge cost differences for KF-21/IF-X fighter". Flight Global. Retrieved 23 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  99. ^ a b Si-young, Choi (11 November 2021). "S. Korea, Indonesia finalize fighter jet costs amid default rumors". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  100. ^ a b 저자 (24 May 2022). "[단독]'KF-21' 전투기 5년간 분담금 한 푼 안낸 인니, 조종사 ·기술진 39명 파견". Donga. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  101. ^ a b 채, 윤환 (2 November 2022). "Indonesia resumes payment for joint fighter development project with S. Korea". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  102. ^ "UAE buys Indonesia's share and becomes part of the KF-21 program". 15 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  103. ^ Media, Kompas Cyber (29 October 2023). "Pemerintah Tegaskan Komitmen Lunasi Tunggakan Jet Tempur KF-21 dengan Korsel". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  104. ^ "Indonesia, South Korea to continue working on KF-21 fighter jet - Asia & Pacific". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  105. ^ "KF-21은 AI기술 등 집약… 동남아 넘어 유럽도 관심". 29 July 2024.
  106. ^ Yoo Yong-won (8 December 2022). "[단독] KF-21 공장 폴란드에 생기나… 최대 방산업체 회장 "사업참여 원해"". The Chosun Ilbo. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  107. ^ Jung Dong-hoon (7 May 2023). ""KF-21 개발 참여 원해" 폴란드측 공식 의사 전달". MBC. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  108. ^ a b "「' KF-X 레이더 'ADD, 이스라엘 계약」보도 관련". Defense Acquisition Program Administration. 23 May 2017. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  109. ^ a b Jeong, Jeff (21 March 2018). "Saab ready to offer radar tech for new Seoul fighter". Defense World. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  110. ^ a b Martin-Baker " MARTIN-BAKER WINS KF-X EJECTION SEAT COMPETITION " Archived 30 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine Martin-Baker, 23 March 2018.
  111. ^ Hanwha Techwin " Hanwha Techwin Signs Agreement with GE to Locally Manufacture F414 Engines for KF-X Aircrafts [sic]" Archived 26 January 2018 at archive.today hanwha.com, 12 July 2016.
  112. ^ GE Aviation " GE Aviation's F414 engine selected to power South Korea's KF-X fighter jet " Archived 23 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine geaviation.com, 26 May 2016.
  113. ^ Hyunjoo Jin in SEOUL, Reuters "South Korea picks GE to supply engines for homegrown fighter jets" Archived 23 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine reuters.com, 26 May 2016.
  114. ^ "KF-X AESA 레이다". Agency for Defense Development. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  115. ^ Hanwha Systems (4 June 2022). "한화시스템, KF-21의 눈 'AESA레이다' 국내 비행 시험 착수". Hanwha. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  116. ^ Jeong, Jeff (June 2018). "South Korea unveils first images of KF-X design with European missiles". DefenseNews. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  117. ^ defenseworld.net " Saab To Support S Korean KF-X Fighter Jet's AESA Radar Development" Archived 27 November 2019 at the Wayback Machine www.defenseworld.net, 23 December 2017.
  118. ^ "RID talks about Nerviano, the home of IRST". www.leonardo.com. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  119. ^ "Infrared search and track technology gives fighter aircraft stealth vision - Global Defence Technology | Issue 96 | February 2019". defence.nridigital.com. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  120. ^ "Radar – the new frontier". Royal Aeronautical Society. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  121. ^ Stevenson, Beth. "Leonardo To Deliver IRST Systems for Far East UAV Integration". Aviation International News. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  122. ^ "Electronic Warfare" Archived 28 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine LIG Nex1, Aug 2019.
  123. ^ "LigNex1 Avionics" Archived 28 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine LIG Nex1, Aug 2019.
  124. ^ "LigNex1 Electronic Warfare". bemil.chosun.com (in Korean). 9 August 2019.
  125. ^ Courtney Sturniolo, TEXAS "Texstars to develop canopy and windshield transparencies for the KF-X fighter" Archived 30 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine Texstars LLC, 25 January 2017.
  126. ^ Ryan Maass, upi.com " KAI taps Texstars to develop KF-X fighter transparencies " Archived 30 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine upi.com, 25 January 2017.
  127. ^ Triumph Group " Triumph Awarded Contract with Korea Aerospace Industries For KF-X Airframe Mounted Accessory Drive " Archived 30 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine Triumph Group, 1 March 2017.
  128. ^ Ryan Maass, upi.com " KAI picks Triumph Group for KF-X airframe component " Archived 30 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine upi.com, 3 March 2017.
  129. ^ CESA "CESA signs a contract with KAI for the execution of the KF-X Arrestor Hook System" Archived 16 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine CESA [es], 18 July 2017.
  130. ^ Esther Apesteguía – fly-news.es "CESA will develop the emergency braking system of the South Korean fighter KF-X" Archived 30 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine fly-news.es, 18 July 2017.
  131. ^ Grevatt, Jon (6 February 2018). "Singapore Airshow 2018: UTAS secures work on KFX programme". IHS Jane's 360. Singapore. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  132. ^ Insinna, Valerie (5 February 2018). "United Technologies announces role on South Korea's KF-X fighter jet program". Defense News. Singapore. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  133. ^ Dario Leone, theaviationgeekclub.com " Martin-Baker's Mk18 ejection seat for KF-X " Archived 30 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine theaviationgeekclub.com, 1 April 2018.
  134. ^ "Cobham lands KF-X fighter jet Oxygen System contract". Air Recognition. 24 April 2018. Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  135. ^ "Meggitt selected for KF-X advanced total braking system". Air Recognition. 24 April 2018. Archived from the original on 3 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  136. ^ "Meggitt signs official contract for supply of fire detection systems to KF-X jet fighter". Meggitt. 18 July 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  137. ^ "Contract from KAI for development of an Engine Vibration Monitoring Unit". Meggitt. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  138. ^ "Meggitt to develop engine vibration monitoring unit for KF-X jet". Air Force Technology. 12 September 2018. Archived from the original on 12 September 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  139. ^ a b "MBDA Missile Systems". www.mbda-systems.com. Archived from the original on 23 November 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  140. ^ a b "MBDA Awarded Contract onto South Korea's KAI KF-X Fighter Aircraft". www.defpost.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  141. ^ "Elbit Systems Awarded $43 Million Contract to Equip Next-Gen Korean Fighter Jets in Development with TF/TA Systems". www.elbitsystems.com. Archived from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  142. ^ "Elbit Systems to provide TF/TA systems for RoKAF's future KF-X fighter aircraft". www.janes.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  143. ^ "Curtiss-Wright Selected by KAI to Provide Complete Data Acquisition System". www.curtisswrightds.com. Archived from the original on 29 May 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  144. ^ "Curtiss-Wright to provide data acquisition system for Korean fifth generation fighter aircraft testing". 27 May 2020. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021.
  145. ^ "Korean anhölls för läcka till Saab – rapport" [Korean was arrested for leaking to Saab]. Sveriges Television (SVT) (in Swedish). 16 October 2009. Archived from the original on 17 October 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  146. ^ "Saab suspected of bribes in South Korean jet deal". Swedishwire.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  147. ^ Military Aviation News: Saab being investigated in South Korea over KF-X info leak Archived 23 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Alert 5 (7 October 2009). Retrieved on 2011-04-26.
  148. ^ Jung Sung-li (6 October 2009). "Probe Into Foreign Defense Firms May Widen". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  149. ^ "List Of KF-X Opponents Grows". aviationweek.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  150. ^ a b [34] Archived 27 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine "Indonesia to co-develop $8 billion South Korea fighter jet project" Reuters, 6 October 2014
  151. ^ a b "From Super Jet Fighter Project To Lame Duck". The Jakarta Post.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  152. ^ "List Of KF-X Opponents Grows". aviationweek.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  153. ^ "Warplanes: South Korean Stealth". www.strategypage.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  154. ^ EADS "Invests 2 Trillion KRW In the KF-X to Develop the Korean Indigenous Fighter Jet Together" Archived 5 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine – Infolotnicze.pl, 23 May 2013
  155. ^ EADS open to S. Korea's split purchase of Eurofighters with F-35s Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Yonhapnews.co.kr, 11 December 2013
  156. ^ Editorial, Reuters. "South Korea to sign deal this month to buy 40 F-35 jets for $7..." Reuters. Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2019. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  157. ^ "Korean-Indonesian fighter project hits licensing delays | Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  158. ^ "Pentagon says no to 4 KF-X technologies" Archived 25 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine koreajoongangdaily.com, 17 Oct 2015.
  159. ^ "Who is responsible for troubled KF-X?" Archived 11 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine koreaherald.com, 27 November 2015.
  160. ^ Kim Hyo-jin "Indonesia factor may postpone KF-X project" Archived 27 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine The Korea Times, 1 November 2017.
  161. ^ "KF-X Fighter: Koreas Future Homegrown Jet". Defense Industry Daily. Archived from the original on 23 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  162. ^ Ameidyo Daud " Minta Tambah Anggaran Pesawat Tempur, Sri Mulyani Tegur Kemenhan" Archived 27 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine KATADATA.CO.ID, 19 Oktober 2017.
  163. ^ Garda Zaimalistiqom " Program Pesawat IF-X TNI AU Segera Terealisasi" Archived 19 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine GARDANASIONAL, 6 Februari 2018.
  164. ^ Jeong, Jeff (8 May 2018). "Is South Korea's future fighter jet partnership with Indonesia falling apart?". Defense News. Seoul. Archived from the original on 10 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  165. ^ Rahmat, Ridzwan (28 January 2019). "South Korean officials arrive in Jakarta to renegotiate KFX-IFX fighter aircraft programme". Jane's 360. Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019.
  166. ^ Jon Grevatt, Bangkok – Jane's Defence Industry " Indonesia considers commodities to fund KFX-IFX involvement " Archived 9 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine Jane's 360, 7 August 2019.
  167. ^ Michael Lee (2 February 2024). "Indonesian engineers probed over attempted theft of KF-21 fighter jet data". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  168. ^ Kim Arin (2 February 2024). "Indonesians investigated for suspected theft of South Korean fighter jet secrets". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  169. ^ Choi Jae-young (3 February 2024). "인니 연구원 KF-21 기밀 반출 적발…내부자 공모했나". Seoul Broadcasting System. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  170. ^ Lee Seung-jun (2 February 2024). "KF-21 데이터 유출하려던 인도네시아 기술자 적발". Defensetoday. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  171. ^ Lim Jeong-won (11 March 2024). "Suspect list grows in KF-21 fighter jet technology leak". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  172. ^ Lim Jeong-won (15 March 2024). "Police raids KAI amid attempted theft of KF-21 fighter jet data". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 16 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  173. ^ Arthur, Gordon (27 June 2024). "South Korea orders first batch of KF-21 fighters". Defense News. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  174. ^ @DefSecAsia2020 (23 June 2024). "South Korea Develops Three Distinct Variants of KF-21 "Boramae" Fighter Jet". Defence Security Asia. Retrieved 6 September 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  175. ^ With indigenous carrier-capable fighter design, S. Korea seeks to rework naval plans. Breaking Defense. 22 September 2022.
  176. ^ "DX Korea 2022: KAI outlines plan to develop carrierborne KF-21N fighter". Janes Information Services. 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022.
  177. ^ a b c Centeno, Gabriel (24 June 2024). "South Korea wants new versions of the KF-21 fighter, including stealth variant".
  178. ^ "[더 보다] KF-21, 코리아 파이터". Korean Broadcasting System. 9 June 2024. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  179. ^ Lee, Hyo-jin (22 May 2024). "What's next for KF-21 project after Indonesia's funding slash?".
  180. ^ a b c d e "KF-21 한국형전투기 Next-Generation Fighter". Korea Aerospace Industries. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  181. ^ a b c d e f g h "KF-21 Next-Generation Fighter". Korea Aerospace Industries. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  182. ^ "KF-21". Hanwha Systems. 2022. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  183. ^ "KFX". LIG Nex1. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  184. ^ "Brochure". LIG Nex1. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023. p. 10
  185. ^ Han Sang-heon (8 August 2022). "보라매 지상 활주 시험에 이어 최초 비행 성공". Korea Aerospace Industries. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  186. ^ "GE Aviation delivers first F414 engine to South Korea for KF-X program". General Electric. 4 June 2020. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  187. ^ Kim Gui-geun (10 August 2023). "KF-21, 독립운동 선열들의 '조국애' 싣고 세계로 간다". Korea Aerospace Industries. Archived from the original on 17 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  188. ^ Shin In-kyun (10 October 2021). "KF-21에 '한국형 발키리' 더하면 게임 디스트로이어!". The Dong-a Ilbo. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  189. ^ "KF-21 20MM Gatling Gun System" (PDF). General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. September 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  190. ^ a b c d e f g h i "DAPA Journal Vol 132" (PDF). Defense Acquisition Program Administration. September 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023. p. 21
  191. ^ a b c d e f g Kang Heon (7 March 2023). "앞으로 남은 시간 36개월, 순항 중인 KF-21 보라매". Uberin. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  192. ^ a b "South Korea Plans Meteor, IRIS-T Integration On KF-X". Aviation Week. 27 July 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  193. ^ a b "KF-X 미사일 '중복계약'." fnnews. 29 May 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  194. ^ a b c d e "MBDA and KAI to deepen co-operation". MBDA. 24 November 2023. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  195. ^ Jeff Jeong (10 July 2018). "South Korea plans to locally develop missile for homemade future jet". Defense News. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  196. ^ Franz-Stefan Gady, thediplomat " South Korea to Develop Air-Launched Indigenous Long-Range Bunker Buster Cruise Missile " Archived 15 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine thediplomat.com, 12 July 2018.
  197. ^ Shin In-kyun (25 April 2021). "세계 최정상급 4.5세대 전투기 KF-21 '대박'의 조건". The Dong-a Ilbo. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  198. ^ "South Korea's New Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile will have multi-role capabilities". 4 October 2023.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The word "Boramae" originates from the Goryeo dynasty to describe a 'young hawk trained for hunting from Korea' as hawks were exported or given as presents to nobles of the Mongol Empire. It is a combination of bor (бор; "tan color") from Mongolian and mae (매; "hawk") from Korean. It literally means "tan hawk", which is the color of a juvenile northern goshawk before maturity.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Korea Aerospace Industries KF-21 Boramae.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=KAI_KF-21_Boramae&oldid=1258835344"