Military authorities have decided to shorten the schedule for securing the ground attack capability of the next-generation Korean fighter KF-21 by more than one and a half years compared to the original plan.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on the 8th that the 170th Defense Acquisition Committee, held at the Ministry of National Defense headquarters in Yongsan, approved a revised basic plan for the KF-21 system development. The revision outlines additional weapon tests to secure ground attack capabilities, reflected in the existing system development basic plan.
The development of the Korean fighter jet system is a project aimed at securing a fighter capable of compensating for the obsolescence of aging fighter jets such as the F4 and preparing for future battlefields. The project period extends to 2028, with a budget of 8.8142 trillion won. The original plan projected the application of ground attack missiles by the end of 2028, but with the approval of the revision, DAPA explained that early acquisition of ground attack missiles could begin in the first half of 2027.
A DAPA official noted, "The enhancement of the military's aerial power is expected to contribute not only to increasing the competitiveness of the aviation industry but also to expanding defense exports."
On the same day, the committee also approved the plan for purchasing the Maritime Operation Helicopter-II. The Maritime Operation Helicopter-II aims to secure a replacement for the aging Lynx maritime operation helicopter deployed on navy ships through foreign procurement. The total project cost exceeds 3 trillion won, and the project period extends to 2032. The target model is the U.S. MH-60R (Sea Hawk). The project will proceed under a government-to-government contract via foreign military sales.
A DAPA official stated, "The goal is to secure a maritime operation helicopter that has improved flight time and target detection capabilities compared to existing aging helicopters," adding that "it is expected to enhance underwater and surface detection capabilities and rapid strike capabilities, including the detection of submarines equipped with submarine-launched ballistic missiles."
In addition, it was decided to secure combat unmanned surface vessels through domestic research and development. The total project cost is 609.4 billion won, and the project period extends to 2026. Additionally, the Fast Landing Craft Deployment-II project was also approved. This project aims to secure landing craft capable of fast assaults from far off the coast of enemy territory through domestic development, with a total budget of 999.8 billion won and a project duration extending to 2036.