S. Korea mulling transfer of 1 KF-21 prototype to Indonesia

▲ The first mass-produced KF-21 fighter jet is unveiled during a ceremony marking its rollout at the headquarters of Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., South Korea's sole aircraft manufacturer, in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, southeastern South Korea, on March 25, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

S Korea-Indonesia-fighter jet

S. Korea mulling transfer of 1 KF-21 prototype to Indonesia

SEOUL, April 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Indonesia have tentatively agreed to transfer one of the South's six KF-21 fighter jet prototypes to Jakarta, a Seoul lawmaker said Tuesday, as their joint development project is nearing completion.

During working level talks held in February, the two sides agreed on the handover of a single-seat KF-21 prototype that has been used for verification tests, such as aerial refueling, Rep. Kang Dae-sik of the main opposition party said, citing a document submitted by the state defense procurement agency.

The handover, valued at about 600 billion won (US$398 million), includes an estimated 350 billon-won fighter jet and other development costs.

It comes as the joint development of the KF-21 is set for completion in June after more than a decade of development. South Korea launched the project in 2015 to develop a homegrown supersonic fighter jet, and Indonesia joined as a partner, agreeing to share development costs in exchange for technology transfers, a prototype and other conditions.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration is expected to decide on the schedule of the handover of the prototype and relevant technology documents once Indonesia has fully paid its 600 billion-won contribution for the joint jet project.

Indonesia had originally agreed to shoulder about 20 percent of the project's cost as a partner country but proposed lowering its contribution in exchange for reducing the level of technology transfers. In June last year, the two countries inked a final deal to slash Jakarta's contribution to the current amount.

Alongside the handover of the prototype, Seoul is reportedly in talks with Jakarta to sign a deal to export 16 KF-21 fighter jets, which would mark the country's first overseas sale of such homegrown fighter jets.

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