Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has awarded BAE Systems Inc an $11 million contract to provide updated identification friend or foe (IFF) equipment for integration with its in-development KF-21 fighter.
Announced on 15 December, the award will see BAE provide its APX-127(V)1 combined interrogator transponder (CIT) as a “drop-in replacement” for the APX-126(V) system currently employed on flight-test examples of the Boramae.
“The KF-21 CIT units are expected to be delivered to KAI for integration and certification in 2026,” the company says, with work on the equipment to be performed at its Greenlawn, New York and Austin, Texas sites.
Seoul has so far ordered 40 production examples of the KF-21, with deliveries of the type to begin for the Republic of Korea Air Force next year.
BAE’s combat identification products programme area director Seth Guanu says the APX-127 system “will equip the KF-21 with state-of-the art IFF to help bolster the Republic of Korea’s national defence strategy”.
“This new system gives fifth-generation fighter pilots an edge in air superiority missions and allows them to maintain interoperability with US and coalition partners,” Guanu adds.
“Its open-system architecture allows for software upgrades, reducing the risk and cost associated with hardware modifications,” BAE notes.
