Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T will be deployed aboard Korea’s new fighter, the KF-21, where it will perform the principal function of the primary short-range air-to-air missile.
A KF-21 Boramae platform was able to carry out a successful launch of an IRIS-T missile on April 4. Because of its capabilities in close-quarters fighting and interception, the European short-range air-to-air missile, also known as the AIM-2000, has been chosen for incorporation into the Korean indigenous fighter.
Ten months after the first flight, the fighter programme conducted its first live firing for the first time. Following completing the test firing, which demonstrated that the missile could be safely separated from the aircraft, the KF-21 will now be armed with the IRIS-T.
The IRIS-T missile has been integrated into the Eurofighter Typhoon, the JAS-39 Gripen, the F-16, the EF-18, the F-5, and the Panavia Tornado. This shows that it works with a wide range of platforms.
When the KF-21 Boramae enters service in 2026, the ROKAF will have the IRIS-T conventional short-range missile ready.
