South Korea’s Defence Acquisition Program Administration has opened bidding for a 14-month concept study on a future fighter beyond the KF-21 Boramae, starting early formal work on a possible sixth-generation aircraft. The KRW 900 million study will help define operational concepts, aircraft configuration and a technology roadmap, with requirements pointing to stealth, artificial intelligence, manned-unmanned teaming and twin adaptive-cycle engines.
The request for proposals seeks competing design paths, including tailless and alternative control-surface concepts, and calls for broadband stealth across L-, S- and X-bands, plus internal weapons carriage and supersonic cruise capability. The work remains at a concept stage and does not represent approval for a full development programme.
Bidders are expected from South Korea’s defence industry and research sector, with Korea Aerospace Industries among the firms likely to follow the competition closely. The study runs in parallel with related technology work at the Agency for Defense Development, as Seoul begins shaping the architecture of its next air-combat system.