South Korea’s Air Force has taken delivery of its first production KF-21 Boramae fighter, with aircraft No. 001 handed over at Korea Aerospace Industries’ plant in Sacheon and flown on to Yecheon Air Base for initial service entry. Maj. Han Jae-seok signed the acceptance documents before piloting the jet on its ferry flight, which was escorted by FA-50, TA-50 and T-50 aircraft.
The handover moves the country’s indigenous fighter programme from development into operational use. The first production airframe rolled out in March after mass production began in June 2024, leaving a gap of about two years and three months between the start of serial manufacturing and delivery. The Air Force plans to use the jet first for pilot conversion and maintenance training, with initial operational capability targeted for the second half of 2027.
More than 100 KF-21s are due to be delivered in phases through the early 2030s. Early Block I aircraft will focus on air-to-air missions, while later Block II jets are expected to add strike capability.