South Korea's KF-21 Boramae Fighter Jet Marks Progress in Testing

South Korea's KF-21 Boramae fighter jet has taken a major step toward operational readiness by completing a series of high-risk flight tests, including air-to-air weapons and weapons separation tests, program officials confirmed this week.

The advanced 4.5-generation fighter jet developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is on track to complete its Block 1 development phase early next year, with Block 2 (Gen. 5) refinements to follow soon.

Speaking after the latest test campaign, KAI's chief test pilot, Cha Myung-soo, explained the intense pace of testing designed to refine the aircraft's flight control system and ensure combat readiness.

"Today's attack focused on compensating for potential attitude changes when onboard weapons are fired," Cha said. "We verified that the flight control system can effectively stabilize the aircraft, even under rapid-fire conditions."

KF-21 Prototype No. Block 6 has become a testing center for advanced electronic warfare systems, while other airframes in the six-aircraft fleet have been designated for different mission profiles, including high-angle-of-attack recovery and radar integration.

“This is a highly modular test program. Each prototype specializes in validating various capabilities to accelerate overall development,” Cha explained.

KAI confirmed that the program has logged more than 1,300 sorties, approximately 70% of the planned Block 1 test flights. Recent milestones include the successful firing of Meteor and AIM-2000 air-to-air missiles, even in supersonic conditions and with external fuel tank configurations.

“From initial glide tests to complex combat scenarios, the KF-21 has demonstrated steady progress,” noted a KAI program engineer. “This puts us on schedule for the Republic of Korea Air Force’s operational evaluation early next year.”

In addition to Block 1, the Block 2 upgrade will provide precision air-to-ground capabilities, further strengthening the KF-21’s role as South Korea’s next frontline fighter. Future variants are also expected to feature full internal weapons bays for enhanced stealth.

Boramae, which means "young eagle" in Korean, is designed to replace the aging F-4 and F-5 fighters in South Korea's inventory and serve as a potential export platform for allied nations.

Cha emphasized safety as a top priority during testing. "Every sortie is conducted with meticulous preparation and redundancy because the success of this program is of national importance," he said.

With Block 1 delivery imminent and Block 2 development on the horizon, South Korea's ambitious fighter jet program is positioning itself as a cornerstone of the country's defense modernization efforts.