The South Korean fighter jet KF-21 Boramae will fly for the first time after completing 50 percent of its testing program and 95 percent of ground tests.
Quoting Asia Times, KF-21 Boramae, the stage name of KF-X, the result of the South Korean-RI collaboration. Reuters reported that the KF-21 was tested on July 19 and took off from the air base in Sacheon for a 30-minute flight.
The KF-21 Boramae itself is included in the 4.5 generation jet. Some of the jets that are similar to the KF-21 Boramae include the United States' (US) F-15E/EX Strike Eagle, China's Chengdu J-10 C, and Russia's Sukhoi Su-35.
History of KF-21 Boramae
The KF-21 is an attempt by South Korea to escape dependence on US technology in its military arsenal. In working on the KF-21 Boramae, South Korea cooperated with Indonesia under the Defense Acquisition Program Administration program.
According to Yonhap News, as many as 114 Indonesian engineers went to South Korea to work on the KF-21 Boramae. Indonesia also bears 20 percent of the costs or around 1.7 trillion Won (approximately IDR 19 trillion).
This collaboration was disrupted because Indonesia stopped paying to South Korea in the figure of 227 billion Won. However, the Indonesian government ultimately agreed to continue the program.
"The Indonesian government reconfirms its commitment to jointly develop the KF-21/IF-X and seeks cooperation so that its engineers return to South Korea as soon as possible," reads an official statement from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
KF-21 Boramae Specifications
Launching Popular Mechanics, the appearance of the KF-21 at a glance is similar to the F-22 Raptor. This aircraft is gray-black with the KF-21 label stamped on the wing.
The length of the KF-21 reaches 55 feet or 16.7 meters with a wingspan of 10.6 meters. The wingspan is slightly longer than the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, but smaller than the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-22 Raptor.
The KF-21 also has 10 external hardpoints for carrying weapons, sensor pods, and fuel. The minimum weight of the KF-21 when gliding can reach 17 thousand pounds or about 7,700 kg, while the maximum weight reaches 56,400 pounds or 25 thousand kg.
Furthermore, the KF-21 is equipped with BAE's Meteor air to-air missile and the Saab/MBDA Taurus missile. In addition, the KF-21 is also armed with the M61 20-millimeter gatling gun from General Electric.
In terms of engines, the KF-21 Boramae is powered by a General Electric F414 engine, the same engine as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The machine can provide a maximum thrust of 19 thousand kg.
According to KAI, the KF-21 Boramae can reach a maximum speed of 22,000 km per hour or around Mach 2.
KAI has also embedded a state-of-the-art electrical system in the KF-21 as well as a radar capable of detecting air threats and infrared search. There is also a tracking system that can detect enemies stealthily at close range as well as an electrical optical system that can detect enemies on the ground.
South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration said the KF-21 will be integrated with its weapons in 2026. Its flight test will be completed in 2028 before it is ready to fight in 2032. The plan is that South Korea targets to produce 40 KF-21s by 2028 and increase to 120 by 2032.
