▲ The first mass-produced KF-21 fighter jet conducts a test flight at the Air Force's 3rd Flying Training Wing in Sacheon, about 290 kilometers south of Seoul, on April 16, 2026, in this file photo provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

fighter jet-combat suitability

S. Korea's homegrown KF-21 fighter jet clears final combat suitability review

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's first homegrown KF-21 fighter jet has passed a "full" combat readiness evaluation, marking the completion of the final phase of the performance verification process in its development, the state arms procurement agency said Thursday.

The fighter jet received a "full combat suitability" evaluation, clearing all performance requirements for actual missions through various tests conducted over about three years, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said.

The KF-21 fighter jet passed a provisional combat readiness assessment in May 2023. With the assessment completed, the KF-21 development is expected to officially conclude next month.

South Korea embarked on a plan to develop a homegrown fighter jet in 2001 under the government of then President Kim Dae-jung. However, budget concerns and uncertainty over the project's feasibility had stalled the process for more than a decade. During that period, seven feasibility studies were carried out.

The 8.8 trillion-won (US$6.06 billion) KF-21 project formally took off in December 2015, with an aim to develop an advanced supersonic fighter intended to replace the country's aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 jets.

Since the rollout of the first KF-21 prototype in April 2021, officials have carried out 1,600 flight trials under roughly 13,000 test conditions, including aerial refueling and weapons release tests, according to DAPA.

DAPA plans to deliver a total of 120 KF-21 jets by 2032, with 40 initially produced aircraft focused on air-to-air capabilities to be delivered by 2028, followed by 80 additional jets with air-to-ground and air-to-ship capabilities.

Officials plan to deliver the first batch to the Air Force in the second half, with additional units to be delivered in phases.

However, concerns remain over a possible delay in the development timeline amid budget pressure.

In a press briefing Thursday, a DAPA official said the agency is moving forward with the project, while taking into account limited budgetary conditions and other factors.

"We are in consultations with the military and related agencies to ensure the stable and efficient implementation of defense modernization programs, including the follow-on mass production of the KF-21," he said.

An Air Force official said it was not considering extending the operational life of the F-5 fighter jets.

The warplane is designed to fly at a maximum speed of Mach 1.81, with a flying range of 2,900 kilometers. It will be equipped with advanced technologies, such as an AESA, or active electronically scanned array radar.

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