Korea's homegrown KF-21 fighter makes 1st sortie to mark delivery to Air Force
Korea's indigenous KF-21 fighter jet made its maiden flight Tuesday as part of an official ceremony marking its delivery to the Air Force, the armed service and arms procurement agency said. The first mass-produced KF-21 Boramae took to the skies from the Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. manufacturing plant in Sacheon, about 300 kilometers south of Seoul, heading north to an Air Force unit in…
South Korea's homegrown KF-21 fighter jet embarked on its maiden flight on Tuesday, marking its delivery to the Air Force, according to the armed service and the arms procurement agency. The first mass-produced KF-21 Boramae soared from the Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. factory in Sacheon, located about 300 kilometers south of Seoul, and headed north to an Air Force base in Yecheon, roughly 165 kilometers away, as reported by both the Air Force and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) in a joint statement.
Accompanying the KF-21 during its inaugural sortie were an FA-50 light attack aircraft, a TA-50 fighter trainer, and a T-50 Golden Eagle jet trainer, all flying in formation to celebrate the fighter's arrival. The handover to the Air Force signifies a significant milestone in Korea's decades-long endeavor to develop an indigenous fighter jet, a goal that dates back to at least 2001 when then President Kim Dae-jung first announced the initiative.
The development of the KF-21 faced several challenges, including budget delays and feasibility reviews. However, progress was finally made in December 2015 when South Korea, in collaboration with Indonesia, initiated the project to design an advanced supersonic aircraft and replace the now-retired F-4 fighters.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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