KF-21 obtains type certification in South Korea
By
Greg Waldron | 17 June 2026
Milestone is another step on KF-21’s march to service entry.
The Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-21 fighter has received its initial type certification, following a five-year airworthiness review process.
The certification campaign ran from April 2021 through April 2026, and included 745 items across 14 separate areas, according to Seoul’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
This means that certification work commenced well before the jet’s first flight on 19 July 2022.
“The airworthiness certification capabilities and experience we have accumulated over the years have served as a foundation for objectively verifying the flight safety of the KF-21, and this will be a decisive factor in securing the trust of overseas purchasing countries during future export processes,” says Kim Il-dong, deputy administrator of DAPA.
“Based on the flight safety certified by the government, we expect this to contribute significantly to the expansion of K-defense exports.”
The KF-21’s type certification follows its receipt of
final combat suitability certification in May, confirming the Block 1 version’s initial air-to-air mission.
Following the KF-21’s type certification, the DAPA will conduct airworthiness certification for each KF-21 produced to ensure they accord with type-certified design standards.
Pending service entry with the Republic of Korea Air Force at the end of 2026, the KF-21
commenced mass production in 2024. So far, KAI has secured South Korean
orders for 40 examples. The first production aircraft had its maiden flight in April.
Separately, a stock exchange filing for Hanwha Aerospace indicated that it will boost its shareholding in KAI to 10% by the end of 2026 – an increase on previous plans that called for it to boost its stake to 8%. Hanwha, which now holds a 6.5% stake in KAI, will spend W500 billion ($331 million) to obtain the additional KAI shares.
Hanwha is heavily involved in the KF-21, producing the fighter’s GE Aerospace F414-GE-400K engines under license. It is also developing a local engine to power the KF-21’s future Block 3 variant.
The company also produces the fighter’s active electronically scanned array radar, infrared search and track system, and electro-optical targeting pod.
Beyond the KF-21, Hanwha and KAI work together on other defence projects, including space and collaborative combat aircraft.
Milestone is another step on KF-21’s march to service entry. The Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-21 fighter has received its initial type certification, following a five-year airworthiness review process. The certification campaign ran from April 2021 through April 2026, and included 745...
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