KAI KF-21 Boramae: Capable fighter

The KF-21 Boramae, a fourth-generation fighter developed by South Korea, bears a striking resemblance to the F-22 Raptor. The aircraft, which has been in development since the early 2000s, completed its first flight in the summer of 2022 and achieved supersonic flight in January 2023. Despite its advanced features, the KF-21 is positioned as an intermediary between fourth and fifth-generation fighters, distinguishing it from counterparts like the F-22 or F-35.

In April 2021, the prototype was unveiled at a rollout ceremony at KAI's headquarters at Sacheon Airport and given the name Boramae, which translates to "young hawk" or "fighting hawk" in Korean. The maiden test flight took place on July 19, 2022, and manufacturing is set to commence in 2026. South Korea plans to deliver at least 40 aircraft by 2028 and aims to deploy 120 units by 2032, with export plans. The KF-X project, announced in 2001 to develop modern warplanes to replace ageing aircraft in South Korea's fleet, initially faced scepticism due to its ambitious nature and economic challenges. However, renewed interest in the project emerged after a feasibility study in 2008 and security concerns following attacks by North Korea in 2010.

The project, pre-emptively called the IF-X program in Indonesia, garnered international collaboration, with Indonesia and Turkey becoming key partners in funding and development. Indonesia committed to providing 20% of the project's funding, collaborating on technological development, and potentially purchasing a significant portion of the planned aircraft. Additionally, Poland, the Philippines, and Peru have expressed interest in the KF-21, signifying its potential for international partnerships and sales.

The Defence Acquisition Program Administration announced in May 2023 that the KF-21 had passed the provisional combat suitability evaluation, paving the way for the initial mass production process in 2024. Six prototypes have undergone successful maiden flights, with verification testing scheduled to ensure optimal performance.

South Korea is currently in the process of targeting the commencement of mass production for the KF-21 by mid-2026. This initiative aims to replace the ageing F-4E Phantom and F-5E Tiger II fighter aircraft with a substantial fleet of KF-21s for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF).

Design and development

The KF-21, a single-pilot aircraft, has also been developed in two-seat prototype versions for testing, enhancing its capacity for multi-role missions. Powered by twin General Electric F414-GE-400K afterburning turbofans, the KF-21 features a top speed of Mach 1.8 and an unrefuelled range of 2,900 km (1,800 miles).

South Korea, possessing 65% of the essential technology for KF-X production, sought collaboration from other nations to facilitate technology transfer. The Agency for Defence Development (ADD) proposed two primary concepts for the KF-X: Concept K, reminiscent of the F-35, and Concept I, resembling European fighters with forward canards. The chosen design would depend on securing a development agreement with US or European partners.

A third design, the KFX-E, proposed by KAI and supported by the Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), aimed to reduce costs with a smaller, single-engine fighter. However, its performance fell short compared to the F-16 and was deemed inadequate for Indonesia's expansive airspace. ROKAF favoured the benefits of a twin-engine design, delivering superior combat performance and safety, with a larger airframe allowing for future upgrades.

Initiated in December 2015, the KFX design team conducted research and design based on the Concept K configuration before creating an experimental model of Concept E. Subsequent wind tunnel experiments resulted in increased aircraft size and maximum take-off weight. By 2018, the preliminary design proposed by ADD and KAI was confirmed as the prototype design of KFX.

In May 2016, the US government and Lockheed Martin tentatively agreed to transfer 21 technologies to KAI under offset trade terms as part of South Korea's F-35A introduction contract. Eventually, the US government blocked the transfer of four vital technologies, necessitating domestic development by South Korea. A 2015 audit estimated that 87% of the project's technologies had been secured. The preliminary design was finalised in June 2018, and a critical design review in September 2019 confirmed the KF-X's adequacy to ROKAF's requirements.

Expected to be armed with an autocannon for aerial and ground use, the KF-21 boasts ten hardpoints, allowing for the carriage of missiles in a semi-stealth capacity. These belly points could potentially be replaced with covered weapon stations in future production revisions. Alongside Western weaponry, the KF-21 is slated to accommodate a range of locally produced ordnance, including air-to-air missiles and advanced ground attack munitions. The aircraft's avionics are anticipated to include AESA radar, IRST, electro-optical targeting pods, modern data links, high-speed computing capacity, and self-defence capabilities such as radar and electronic jamming.

The KF-21, incorporating advanced stealth technology, is designed to reduce its radar cross-section, thereby significantly enhancing its survivability in combat situations. Notably, it features cutting-edge avionics systems, including the highly advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which delivers superior capabilities for detection and tracking.

This innovative aircraft is tailored for the execution of air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, making it exceptionally versatile across a wide range of operational scenarios. Furthermore, its capacity to achieve supersonic speeds without the use of afterburners provides extended range and heightened operational flexibility.

Conclusion

The South Korean government has identified the prompt acquisition of adequate military equipment as a paramount national concern to safeguard the country against persistent and unyielding strategic threats. In recent times, concerted efforts by the South Korean military and government have been directed towards attaining a high level of self-sufficiency in the production of defence weaponry. As a result, it has been realised that exporting locally manufactured tanks, ships, and aircraft holds significant potential for substantial economic gains.

The evident quality of Korean military equipment is underscored by the active consideration from other nations to procure the KF-21 despite its current limited production status. The KF-21 represents the latest advancement in conventional/semi-stealthy combat aircraft, aligning with the emerging 4.5-generation cohort. Boasting a reduced-signature design, the KF-21 is poised to be an efficacious and contemporaneous combat aircraft, especially when employed in tandem with stealthy platforms such as the F-35 Lightning.

While still nascent in its developmental cycle, the fundamental airframe of the KF-21 exhibits considerable potential for future expansion and enhancement. Expected to serve for an extended duration in Korea and Indonesia, the KF-21 has garnered the interest of several other nations seeking to procure this sophisticated combat aircraft.