South Korea's first mass-produced KF-21 Boramae fighter jet was delivered to the Air Force on Tuesday, marking a major milestone in the country's decades-long effort to develop and field a homegrown fighter aircraft.
The KF-21 took off from Korea Aerospace Industries' manufacturing facility in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, following its handover to the Air Force and flew to its first operational base in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, according to the Air Force and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
Maj. Han Jae-seok of the 156th Fighter Squadron under the 16th Fighter Wing, one of the Air Force's first KF-21 pilots, signed the acceptance and delivery documents before taking the aircraft, designated No. 001, into the air.
An FA-50 light combat aircraft, a TA-50 fighter trainer and a T-50 advanced trainer flew in formation alongside the KF-21 as it arrived at the Yecheon base.
Tuesday's handover came 25 years and six months after then-President Kim Dae-jung announced plans to develop an indigenous fighter in March 2001, and about 10 years and nine months after full-scale system development began in December 2015.
The program was launched in partnership with Indonesia following years of feasibility reviews and budget-related delays, with the aim of developing an advanced supersonic fighter to replace South Korea's now-retired F-4 Phantoms and aging F-5 fleet.
The KF-21, whose Korean name "Boramae" means "young hawk," is a 4.5-generation multirole fighter measuring 16.9 meters long and 11.2 meters wide, with a maximum speed of Mach 1.8, or about 2,200 kilometers per hour. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 25.6 metric tons and a maximum payload of 7.7 tons.
KAI unveiled the first KF-21 prototype in April 2021, and the aircraft made its first flight in July 2022. Mass production began in June 2024.
The fighter subsequently underwent around 1,600 test flights covering some 13,000 test conditions, including aerial refueling and air-to-air weapons tests. It received combat suitability certification in May this year before completing system development in June.
The first production aircraft rolled out in March and underwent acceptance procedures before Tuesday's handover.
To prepare for the new fighter's introduction, the Air Force reactivated the 156th Fighter Squadron on June 1 as the first unit to operate the KF-21. The squadron, established in 1988, previously operated F-4E Phantom fighters before being deactivated in 2012.
The Air Force has also trained an initial group of KF-21 pilots and maintenance personnel. Pilots have undergone flight training to familiarize themselves with the aircraft and its operating procedures, while maintenance personnel have received specialized training.
The Air Force plans to declare the KF-21 operational in the second half of 2027 and gradually introduce more than 100 aircraft by the early 2030s.
KAI has said it would manufacture an initial 40 KF-21s focused on air-to-air capabilities for delivery to the Air Force by 2028, followed by 80 additional aircraft equipped with long-range air-to-ground missiles by 2032.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Son Sug-rag hailed the delivery as the start of a new phase for the KF-21 program, saying responsibility for the fighter had now shifted from its developers to the Air Force. He urged personnel to ensure the aircraft is swiftly integrated into operations as a key component of South Korea's air defense.
mkjung@heraldcorp.com
