On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), under the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea, announced the completion of the developmental testing program for the KF-21 Boramae multirole aircraft, conducted in cooperation with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD).
Photos: KAI
Lee Yong-cheol, director at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), said that the final test flight took place the previous day. It was also the 1,600th flight conducted over 42 months since the launch of the developmental testing program in July 2022, completing the schedule two months ahead of plan.
Six prototypes, four single-seat and two twin-seat aircraft, completed all flights without accidents, validating more than 13,000 requirements set by the customer for the contractor. This means that Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will be able to begin serial deliveries of the KF-21 Block I to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) as early as the second half of 2026.
It is also worth noting that the test program was carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), and the Korea Coast Guard (KCG). This cooperation covered operations in civilian airspace, maritime safety, and the execution of critical emergency tests, including the restoration of flight control capability under extreme attitude conditions.
However, under a contract signed in December 2025, integration testing of new weapons systems will continue using the prototypes. Further test flights will be conducted not only from Sacheon Air Base in South Gyeongsang Province, but also from Seosan in South Chungcheong Province.
In addition, on Wednesday, January 7, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok personally visited the Korea Aerospace Industries facilities in Sacheon to inspect the KF-21 production line, review onboard systems, and receive briefings on the aircraft’s performance and operation, confirming that it meets the tactical-technical assumptions and operational requirements of the ROKAF.
Noh Ji-man, head of the Korean Fighter Program at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), stated:
“The KF-21 is the culmination of our aviation technology. We expect it to compete with the most advanced fighter jets on the global market and to become a new leading player in the global defense industry.” He added that DAPA would “make every effort to ensure the smooth conduct of additional weapons testing, mass production, and operational integration.”
It should be recalled that DAPA ordered 40 KF-21 Block I aircraft in two batches: on June 25, 2024, for 1.96 trillion KRW, and on June 27, 2025, for 2.39 trillion KRW. The final Block I air-superiority variant aircraft is scheduled for delivery in 2028.
The KF-X/IF-X (Korean/Indonesian Fighter eXperimental) program has been under way since 2016. Partners from Jakarta ultimately renegotiated the agreement due to technical and political issues; the contract was amended in June 2025, and Indonesia remains in the program (although it has not yet placed an order for aircraft – editor’s note).
According to information dated April 16, 2025, the United Arab Emirates expressed interest in acquiring the KF-21. As a point of interest, on June 27 last year, the then Inspector of the Polish Air Force, Ireneusz Nowak, during a six-day visit to the Republic of Korea, became the first Pole to fly in the rear seat of a two-seat KF-21 prototype. The aircraft is also being offered to the Philippines.
Meanwhile, on June 22, 2025, the British daily Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that the United Kingdom and Rolls-Royce had proposed a cooperation plan for co-production with South Korea, which is pursuing a next-generation turbofan engine development program for the KF-21EX (Block III).