A South Korean twin-engine multirole fighter developed through the KF-X program, flown from 2022 and advanced through weapons, supersonic, and combat-suitability testing toward production.
Development
KAI KF-21 Boramae was developed by Korea Aerospace Industries in South Korea as a multirole fighter. The family first flew in 2022. Its recorded airframe configuration is fixed wing, with the family classified in the archive as core combat-aircraft scope.
Operational History
Operationally, KAI KF-21 Boramae is represented primarily in the multirole fighter role. The sourced variant records include service with Republic of Korea Air Force. The current structured record does not attach a specific conflict authority to this family; operational context remains limited to sourced service and role data. Role tags attached to the family include air superiority and battlefield interdiction.
Variants and Lineage
Major variants represented in the structured record include KF-21 prototype 001, KF-21 prototype 006 twin-seat, and KF-21 Block I first production standard.
Variants
| Designation | Type | Role | Recorded operators |
|---|---|---|---|
| KF-21 Block I first production standard | Production | Multirole Fighter | Republic of Korea Air Force |
| KF-21 prototype 001 | Prototype | Multirole Fighter | Republic of Korea Air Force |
| KF-21 prototype 006 twin-seat | Prototype | Multirole Fighter | Republic of Korea Air Force |
Representative specifications
Configuration-specific profiles are shown separately so values from different variants are not blended into one false “standard” aircraft.
KF-21 prototype 001 — C021 baseline technical profile
- Crew
- 1
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F414-GE-400K turbofans
Armament: Air-to-air missile integration is established in the development program; strike capability expands through later blocks.
Sources and further reading
Structured references supporting this aircraft family, variants, specifications, and narrative sections.
- KF-21 Next-Generation Fighter — Korea Aerospace Industries · Tier 2