Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has secured a follow-on order from Seoul for additional KF-21 fighters, as Hanwha Aerospace secures more engine production work.
The contract from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is valued at W2.4 trillion ($1.8 billion) and covers 20 examples, according to KAI.
This is DAPA’s second mass production contract for the type following a 2024 award, also for 20 examples.
In a related contract, Hanwha Aerospace secured a W623 billion DAPA order for GE Aerospace F414 engines, which it produces under licence. Overall, it has orders for 80 F414s.
The first mass-produced KF-21 entered final assembly in May. The KF-21 is powered by two F414s, with deliveries to the Republic of Korea Air Force to commence in late 2026.
In addition, the DAPA has announced that cooperation with Indonesia on the KF-21 programme is now “proceeding without a hitch” following a revised agreement between the two countries after years of squabbles over funding as well as alleged data theft concerns.
“The basic agreement was revised to reflect Korea’s demands, such as reducing the size of the value transfer in accordance with the size of the contribution, and newly establishing provisions to prevent recurrence of contribution delinquency and strengthen technology protection,” says the DAPA.
“We have confirmed that the Indonesian government has initiated administrative procedures for contribution payment along with the revision of the basic agreement.”
Plans call for the eventual development of an IF-X variant for Indonesia.
According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, Jakarta was originally to pay W1.7 trillion towards the W8.1 trillion programme, but this has cut to W600 billion. Jakarta has, reportedly, paid W400 billion already.
Separately, the DAPA has conducted a successful separation test for an indigenous cruise missile that will eventually equip the KF-21.
The work saw an FA-50 test aircraft safely drop the munition. This followed 31 previous weapons carriage test flights that looked at areas such as control safety, avionics integration, and environmental factors.
Seoul hopes that the weapon will be superior in capability to the Taurus KEPD 350K cruise missile carried by the country’s Boeing F-15K fighters. It aims to export the munition along with the KF-21.
