Air Force chief gives thumbs up on KF-21 fighter for excellent performance

Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Young-soo took a test flight aboard the KF-21, a Korean supersonic fighter that will be fielded by the Republic of Korea Air Force starting in 2026. This is the first time an Air Chief of Staff has flown on the fighter since the first KF-21 prototype made its maiden flight on July 19, 2022. The latest event effectively signaled the end of development.

According to the Air Force, Lee took off from Sacheon Air Base in South Gyeongsang Province aboard a KF-21 prototype No. 4 on Wednesday and flew a test flight over the southern coast for about an hour. Lee was seated in the rear seat of the fighter jet, while in the front seat was Major Woo Hong-gyun, who has been conducting KF-21 test flights since 2023. Lee has thus become the first person to have ever flown in a KF-21 other than test pilots of the new fighter jet, the Air Force said.

The KF-21, with Lee aboard, flew at more than 1,000 kilometers per hour at about 4,500 meters above sea level over the southern coast. During the flight, the KF-21 also flew in formation with two KF-16s, the Air Force's leading fleet of fighter jets, to test its ability to operate tactically with other aircraft. Lee also checked the performance of the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a key piece of equipment that serves as the fighter jet's eyes, including its accuracy and ability to see the battlefield, as well as the jet's ability to conduct stable aerial operations.

Lee is a veteran pilot with more than 2,800 hours of flying time across the Air Force's flagship aircraft, including the F-5, F-16, and F-15K. After the flight, Lee said, “I was thrilled to test and see the outstanding performance of the Korean-made fighter from the air. I came to envy young pilots who will be defending Korea with the KF-21,” he said. “I am convinced that the KF-21 can compete with the world's top-class fighters in terms of not only power and maneuverability but also anti-aircraft equipment and armament. The KF-21 will be highly sought after as an excellent fighter that will further enhance the value of K Defense Industries.”

The KF-21 was certified as provisionally combat fit already on May 15, 2023. On June 25 last year, Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a contract to mass-produce 20 KF-21s to mark the 74th anniversary of the Korean War. Six prototype aircraft are currently undergoing test flights to complete development.


Hyo-Ju Son hjson@donga.com