Korea Aerospace Industries has awarded MBDA a contract to integrate the Meteor air-to-air missile on the developmental KF-X fighter.

Korea Aerospace Industries has awarded MBDA a contract to integrate the Meteor air-to-air missile on the developmental KF-X fighter.

The contract includes integration support of the beyond visual range (BVR) weapon, test equipment, knowledge transfer, and a trial campaign, says MBDA. It gave no amount for the contract, and did not disclose the time period the contract covers.

Éric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, said: “We’re very pleased to mark this next and important step in our partnership with KAI and the Korean Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA),” says MBDA chief executive Eric Beranger.

“South Korea is a strategic market for MBDA, and we’re proud that Meteor will be providing KF-X with the world’s most potent air-to-air capability.”

Production of the first KF-X prototype is planned to commence in 2021 with a first flight planned in 2022.