{
  "id": 10195159,
  "title": "Korea's KF-21 is flying, AMCA still on paper: The fighter-jet race India cannot afford to lose",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/koreas-kf-21-is-flying-amca-still-on-paper-the-fighter-jet-race-india",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-27T10:30:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/defence/international/south-koreas-kf-21-boramae-is-flying-amca-still-on-paper-the-stark-fighter-jet-race-india-cannot-afford-to-lose/articleshow/134502861.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Korea's KF-21 fighter jet is now flying, while India's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) remains on paper. As of September 26, 2026, the two programmes are at vastly different stages in development. South Korea's Air Force has already received its first production KF-21 Boramae, while India's AMCA still awaits a partner to build its first prototypes.In December 2015, the Republic of Korea Air Force officially launched the KF-21 programme. The first prototype rolled out in April 2021, and the aircraft made its maiden flight in July 2022. Over the following years, six prototypes completed over 1,600 test sorties, covering various combat scenarios. The flight-test campaign concluded in January 2026, leading to final approvals, type certification, and closure of the system development phase in June 2026. The first production KF-21 was then handed over to the South Korean Air Force on September 22, 2026, marking a significant milestone in the programme.However, India's AMCA is still in the early stages of development. Unlike South Korea's approach of progressing from a 4.5-generation aircraft to more advanced capabilities, India's AMCA is being designed from the ground up as a fifth-generation stealth fighter. Two variants are planned, with the AMCA Mk1 powered by the GE F414 engine and the more advanced Mk2 using a higher-thrust indigenous engine. The programme received a major boost in 2024 when the Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the Full Scale Engineering Development phase, with a budget of around Rs 15,000 crore for five flying prototypes.The Ministry of Defence issued a request for proposals to three shortlisted contenders in May 2026, with bids now due by the end of September 2026. The winning company will have to build five prototypes, achieve a maiden flight within 30 months, and complete an 84-month programme involving 1,800 test sorties before series production can begin. Compared to South Korea's rapid progress, India's timeline for the AMCA remains uncertain, with key milestones still years away.",
  "summary": "As South Korea's KF-21 program progresses towards operational capability, India's AMCA program is still finalizing construction partners. The KF-21 has completed extensive testing and received certification, with production already underway. In contrast, India's bid process for an AMCA partner has faced multiple delays, slowing prototype development. The Indian Air Force currently operates below…",
  "key_points": [
    "South Korea's KF-21 Boramae fighter jet is now flying.",
    "India's AMCA remains on paper, awaiting first prototype.",
    "India's AMCA programme cleared for Full Scale Engineering Development in 2024."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}