The KF-21 Boramae, the first domestically produced fighter jet, has been judged "tentatively suitable for combat use" and is on the verge of mass production after more than 20 years of business conception.

The Defense Business Administration announced today (21th) that the KF-16 has obtained a provisional combat suitability test, which is the main procedure for the start of the first mass production next year.

The KF-21 is a Korean fighter (KF-X) project that began in August 2001 when then-President Kim Dae-jung declared that he would "develop a domestically produced fighter by 8."

After conducting a feasibility analysis, exploratory development, and finalizing operational performance (ROC) and requirements, the Defense Business Administration signed a system development contract with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in December 2015 and started system development in January of the following year.

Since the shipment of prototype No. 2015 in April 12, ground tests have been conducted to verify durability, noise and vibration, and structural soundness.

The KF-1, which first flew in July last year, has demonstrated its supersonic flight capability and night flight capability by conducting 2021 flight tests, and has successfully tested it with an active electronically scanned phased array (AESA) radar.

In particular, the prototype No. 4 also passed a test of separating the AIM-1 short-range air-to-air missile test munition during flight last month.

Over the past two years, more than 7 test items have been verified, including aircraft speed, combat radius of action, and take-off and landing distances.

An official from the Korea Radiation Agency explained, "Flight tests through prototypes are always classified as high-level tests because of risk factors," adding, "Through close cooperation and efforts between the Ministry of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Air Force, and related agencies such as the developer, the first flight test of the KF-21 was successfully completed, and it was judged to be 'tentatively suitable for combat use' as the required performance was met."

In the future, the KF-200 will undergo further tests of stability and performance in all flight domains, including low, high, low, and supersonic speeds.

Aerial refueling, air-to-air missile guided launches, and electronic warfare equipment are also subject to testing.

Since the conditions have been created for mass production after receiving a provisional combat suitability, the agency plans to start mass production of the KF-2 for the first time next year, obtain a "final combat suitability" in 2000, and deliver it to the Air Force from the second half of 2.

(Photo = Courtesy of Defense Business Administration, Yonhap News)