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KAI's KF-21 conducts four daily test flights, eyes fighter jet export supremacy
KAI’s KF-21 takes to the skies four times a day, seeking global dominance in fighter jet exportsBy
Lee Jong-hyun
Published 2025.06.18. 06:00
The first KF21 next-generation Korean fighter jet passes through the ramp section connected to the runway at KAI in Sacheon, Gyeongnam.
On the afternoon of the 11th, the Korean-style supersonic fighter Boraemai (KF-21) prototype was spotted at the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) hangar in Sacheon, Gyeongnam. Ahead of the suitability evaluation scheduled for the first half of next year, the KF-21 is currently conducting four test flights a day. The KF-21 in front of us also conducted test flights up to Seosan and returned to Sacheon for inspection an hour ago.
Lee Sang-hwi, Deputy Minister of Aircraft Production at KAI, said, “The aircraft is just coming back after completing the test flight at 2 p.m. and is currently undergoing post-flight inspection.” He noted, “We conducted two test flights today, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.”
Post-flight inspections are a necessary procedure for the mass production of the KF-21. Inside the KF-21 undergoing inspection, white and orange wires were visible. The white wires are standard wires, while the orange ones are a kind of sensor used to collect data. The KF-21 flies equipped with nearly 3,000 sensors. The Deputy Minister explained, “For every test flight, about 40 experts gather at the ground Mission Control Room (MCR) to monitor the aircraft's status in real time.”
At the rear of the KF-21 undergoing maintenance in the hangar, an orange parachute was also visible. This was a feature not seen on other KF-21s. The Deputy Minister remarked, “The main mission of the second aircraft is to gather data while flying vertically, and due to the possibility of losing lift and falling during this process, we have equipped it with a parachute as a precaution.”
The first mass-produced KF-21 fighter jet is undergoing assembly at KAI in Sacheon, Gyeongnam./Courtesy of Defense Acquisition Program Administration
KAI recently began assembly work on the first unit of the KF-21 for mass production. Since June of last year, it has been processing parts for the first unit, producing key components, and assembling the airframe, and last month it entered the final assembly stage. In the final assembly stage, wings are attached to the airframe, and key components such as electronic equipment and engines are installed.
During the visit to KAI's fixed-wing production site, the first unit of the KF-21 for mass production undergoing final assembly could be seen. The production site, which spans about 23,000 square meters, featured long lines for the KF-21, FA-50 fighters, and T-50 high-altitude trainers. The scale allows for five KF-21s and seven FA-50s to be lined up in a row.
The fighter is a culmination of advanced technology, incorporating 220,000 parts and 32 km of wiring, yet more than 90% of the manufacturing process is done manually. Due to the complexity of the structure and the need to assemble various shaped parts, automation is difficult. Because special metals are used, welding is also not feasible. The Deputy Minister explained, “Parts and components are made in different areas and then assembled on the central line,” and added, “You can expect that one fighter jet is produced per month per line.”
At the fixed-wing production site, several national flags could be seen. This indicates that many countries are interested in Korean-made fighters. The T-50 high-altitude trainer being assembled at the far end had flags from Indonesia and Poland, while the FA-50 production line displayed flags from Malaysia and the Philippines. All these countries have purchased fighter jets and trainers from Korea.
A short drive from the fixed-wing production site led to the appearance of the rotary-wing facility, where helicopters are made. The Korea Utility Helicopter (KUH) and Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) are both manufactured here. While production quantities for the KUH have decreased as deliveries to the army have concluded, one side is still producing KUHs exported to Iraq.
The Deputy Minister noted, “In the case of rotary-wings, we are trying to localize the main gearbox technology that relies on imports,” adding, “Design is almost complete, and we plan to develop components until 2026, with the goal of testing them on actual aircraft by 2029.”
Recently, KAI has been focusing on implementing a composite system of manned and unmanned aircraft enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The KF-21, which is currently being prepared for mass production, is classified as a 4.5 generation fighter. The upcoming 5th and 6th generation fighters will combine AI technology with 6th generation (G) communication technology, enabling coordinated operations between fighters and unmanned aircraft.
Kim Ji-hong, KAI's Director of Future Convergence Technology, said, “Joint operations with unmanned aircraft will be important for the 6th generation fighter,” and noted that KAI will first unveil a multi-purpose unmanned aircraft flying alongside the FA-50 at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) in October.
In addition to producing core aircraft such as the KF-21 and KUH, KAI announced its ambition to grow into one of the world's top seven defense corporations based on a composite system of manned and unmanned aircraft powered by AI technology. Hong Sung-hoon, head of KAI's Future Strategy Team, stated, “This year's sales are expected to be around 4.1 trillion won, aiming for 40 trillion won by 2040,” and added, “To achieve this, we plan to shift KAI's focus from domestic to export, from military to civilian, and from hardware to software.”
KAI's KF-21 conducts four daily test flights, eyes fighter jet export supremacy
KAIs KF-21 conducts four daily test flights, eyes fighter jet export supremacy KAIs KF-21 takes to the skies four times a day, seeking global dominance in fighter jet exports
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