KF-21 Makes Its First Export: What's Next for the Korean Fighter? [Yang Nakgyu's Defence Club]

First Mass Production and Export Achieved 15 Years After Development Declaration
Research and Development Underway for Sixth-Generation Fighter Jets
Expectations High for Dominance in the Mid-Tier Fighter Jet Market

With the first export of the Korean fighter jet KF-21, interest in sixth-generation fighter jets is on the rise. As the KF-21 "Boramae" has rolled out its first mass-produced unit after 10 years and 6 months, and even achieved export, there are growing expectations that it will dominate the mid-tier fighter jet market.

The "KF-X project," which produced the KF-21, began in March 2001 when then-President Kim Dae-jung declared the ambition to "indigenously develop an advanced fighter jet." The project officially kicked off at the end of 2010. The first mass-production unit is scheduled to roll out on the 25th of this month, marking the initial delivery to the Air Force.

The KF-21 had its maiden flight in July 2022. As a result, Korea joined the ranks of the "eight countries developing supersonic fighter jets," alongside Russia, the United States, Sweden, the European consortium (Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy), Japan, China, and France.

The KF-21 will continue to evolve. The current KF-21 is the outcome of the Block-I phase. Each "Block" marks the version upgrade of the fighter jet. Usually, the block number is assigned based on modifications to engines, avionics, or integrated weapon systems. The plan is to complete Block-II upgrades by 2028 and to deploy 120 units for operational service by 2032. Starting this year, the Air Force will deploy a total of 120 KF-21 Block I units to replace aging F-4 and F-5 fighter jets.

South Korea is also pursuing the development of a sixth-generation fighter jet. This comes amid intensifying competition in the global defense market to develop supersonic fighters. Globally, the F-15 and F-16 (United States), Eurofighter (Europe), and J-10 (China) are classified as fourth-generation fighters. More recent fighters with stealth capabilities, such as the F-35 (United States), SU-57 (Russia), and J-20 (China), are considered fifth-generation. The KF-21 Boramae, currently under development in Korea, is positioned as a 4.5-generation fighter—between the fourth and fifth generations. Meanwhile, Türkiye (Turkey), India, and Sweden are also working on fifth-generation fighter jets.

The Korean government is promoting joint development of a sixth-generation fighter jet with Middle Eastern countries. The government has presented the concept of a sixth-generation fighter jet to Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that development time can be significantly reduced by building upon the KF-21 platform. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) plans to develop a fifth-generation stealth fighter through Block-III upgrades and aims to create a sixth-generation manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) system.

So far, Saudi Arabia has not found a partner country for joint development of a sixth-generation fighter jet. The United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan signed the "Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP)" treaty last month to jointly develop a sixth-generation fighter. GCAP aims to field a fighter jet with enhanced supersonic capabilities and radar-evading features by 2035. Saudi Arabia has expressed its desire to participate in GCAP on several occasions. Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, conveyed this intention to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in person. However, Japan is reported to have opposed the idea, citing that much of the work has already been completed and the project timeline is tight for completion by 2035. In Europe, Germany is already leading the development of the "Future Combat Air System (FCAS)" sixth-generation fighter together with France and Spain, with the first test flight planned for 2029.

If a sixth-generation fighter is developed, Hanwha Aerospace is expected to play a bridging role. Hanwha Aerospace established its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regional headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this year. The first head of the office is President Sung Il, a retired major general. President Sung previously served as Director General of Force Planning at the Ministry of National Defense and led the joint development of the sixth-generation fighter jet with Saudi Arabia. Hanwha Aerospace is determined to take charge of domestic production of fighter jet engines based on this experience.

KAI plans to develop the sixth-generation fighter jet as a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) system. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to fly alongside the KF-21 will likely be developed by Korean Air. In 2014, Korean Air developed the Gaori-X1 UAV. The Gaori-X1, which is a 46% scaled-down version of a large unmanned combat aerial vehicle measuring 10.4 meters in length, 14.8 meters in wingspan, and weighing 10 tons, demonstrated the potential for unmanned combat aircraft development by flying 50 kilometers for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Korean Air plans to further utilize the Gaori-X1 to develop "unmanned wingman" and "stealth unmanned reconnaissance aircraft." The unmanned wingman will offer manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capability. Before sending a manned fighter into enemy territory, stealth unmanned wingmen will be dispatched first. These UAVs can engage the enemy or carry out reconnaissance missions at the front lines, offering protection for fighter pilots. Since the unmanned aircraft can be deployed alongside manned fighters, they can respond flexibly to sudden situations. The first flight of the unmanned wingman is scheduled for 2025, and in 2027, joint operations with government-owned manned fighters will be tested.

The attack-type unmanned combat aerial vehicle is the Gaori-X2. It can be equipped with Korean-made mid-range guided bombs and is thus called a "mini B-2 bomber." To carry weapons, it is expected to be fitted with a 5,500-pound class turbofan engine currently under development for stealth UAVs. In comparison, engines for stealth unmanned combat aircraft being developed in the United States and elsewhere are in the 10,000-pound class.