South Korea has successfully completed all flight testing of its next-generation KF-21 Boramae fighter jet, marking a major milestone toward operational deployment with the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF). The completion of testing clears the path for aircraft delivery and confirms the jet’s readiness to replace aging legacy fighters in South Korea’s inventory.
The country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) confirmed that the final flight test was conducted in mid-January over the Namhae Sea near Sacheon, using the fourth KF-21 prototype. Over a 42-month period, the development program recorded approximately 1,600 test sorties without a single accident, validating more than 13,000 evaluation criteria covering flight performance, avionics, and mission systems.
According to DAPA, the results verified the KF-21’s operational capabilities as a modern multirole combat aircraft. Expanded test environments, including air-to-air refueling trials and additional operating locations, enabled the program to complete flight testing nearly two months ahead of schedule, accelerating its transition to the next development phase.
Led by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in partnership with the Agency for Defense Development, the KF-21 program involves over 225 domestic companies and more than 10 government-funded research institutes. Launched in 2015, the Boramae program aims to replace South Korea’s aging F-4 and F-5 fighter fleet, with mass deliveries expected to begin in the second half of 2026 following system development completion.
