The South Korean aerospace corporation Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is presently in the testing phase of the KF-21 Boramae, a new fighter jet developed under the KF-X program. Preliminary work is being conducted to develop three futuristic modifications to the jet.
The South Korean resource Biz HanKook has reported that the allocation of budget funding for these projects and full-scale R&D is anticipated to take a considerable amount of time, as the work on the new variants of the KF-21 is still in the early stages.
The KF-21EA (Electronic Attack) aircraft is the first potential variant for electronic warfare and air defense suppression. It is anticipated that the aircraft will be comparable to the Boeing EA-18G Growler of the US Navy. According to reports, the South Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD) is presently conducting research and development on the KF-21EA project. The electronic warfare systems operator will be the second crew member of the KF-21EA aircraft, which will be based on the two-seat variant of the KF-21B fighter. The KF-21EA is intended to be equipped with three electronic warfare pods (located beneath the fuselage and wing mounts) and two signal intelligence pods (located at the wingtips). The EW pods will consist of two high-frequency EW pods and one low-frequency EW pod, which will enable electronic suppression across nearly all frequencies employed by the adversary. Anti-radar missiles, including the AARGM-ER, are intended to be installed on the aircraft.
The KF-21EX, the second prospective variant, is a further development of the KF-21 in the direction of a fifth-generation aircraft (previously known as KF-21 Block 3). The KF-21EX is being primarily equipped with a weapons bay that can accommodate four long-range Meteor air-to-air missiles or eight air-to-surface guided munitions in order to accomplish this. The KF-21EX will also boast a new onboard defense suite, an advanced AESA radar, and substantially improved network-centric capabilities. The KF-21EX is generally regarded as a subsystem of the NACS (Next Air Combat System) that is currently being developed by KAI. The NACS will also incorporate unmanned fighters and satellite data connections. KAI intends to finalize the NACS by 2039. The KF-21EX is scheduled to be developed “ten years after the completion of the development” of the current iteration of the fighter, in other words, by 2036.
The export version KF-21SA is the third possible variant of the aircraft. It is anticipated that the KF-21SA will offer extensive integration capabilities for a variety of electronic systems and armaments in accordance with the preferences of potential customers.
The initial prototype of the new South Korean fighter KF-21 Boramae took flight at the primary KAI facility in Sacheon on July 19, 2022. Six flight test prototypes of the KF-21, including two two-seaters, were delivered for testing throughout the year, enabling a thorough assessment of the aircraft. KAI was awarded a contract by the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) on June 25, 2024, for the supply of the first 20 serial KF-21 fighters to the South Korean Air Force. The aircraft are expected to be delivered by 2026. The contract is valued at 1.96 trillion won (1.41 billion USD). This sum comprises 480.1 billion won for aircraft modifications and ongoing research and development. It is anticipated that 120 serial KF-21 aircraft will be acquired by 2032.
