Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) said on the 18th that it signed a contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration for additional armament tests of the Korean fighter (KF-21). The contract is worth 685.9 billion won.
KAI, which has developed the KF-21 system for 10 years and 6 months, will use this test to expand the KF-21's performance from air-to-air armaments that shoot down existing fighters, helicopters, and missiles to air-to-ground armament capabilities against tanks, buildings, and ships. With this contract in place, it has become possible to push development continuously by preparing to verify air-to-ground capability through flight tests before the ongoing system development project ends.
Along with air-to-ground armament capability, KAI will also carry out test evaluations of the air-to-ground functions of the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and key avionics. A KAI official said, "We expect to secure the fighter's comprehensive operational capability when the project ends."
The KF-21 additional armament test project will apply a three-phase test and evaluation approach so that the verified capabilities can be fielded in stages. Based on the results of verification judgments for each phase, KAI plans to begin securing air-to-ground capability earlier, in stages from the first half of 2027, instead of the original plan to apply it from the end of 2028.
KAI is currently producing the first batch of mass-produced KF-21s. They are scheduled to be delivered to the Air Force in stages starting in the second half of next year.
KAI CEO Cha Jae-byeong said, "The successful execution of phased test evaluations for additional KF-21 armaments will serve as an opportunity to prove customized test and verification capabilities tailored to future customer demands," adding, "It is also expected to have a positive impact on expanding defense exports."