The pace is impressive - the sixth prototype of South Korea's KF-21 fighter has made its maiden flight

The KF-21 Boramae is a South Korean 4++ generation fighter being developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) with Indonesian assistance. The sixth prototype recently took to the skies for the first time. The plane, like the fourth prototype, is designed for two pilots.

Here's What We Know

KAI unveiled its fifth fighter prototype in late autumn 2022. It was intended for delivery to Indonesia, but handover was delayed due to payment delays. A few months later, KAI conducted flight tests of the sixth KF-21 prototype, which is expected to be the last.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) reported this week that the KF-21 successfully took off and landed. The first test flight of the sixth prototype lasted 33 minutes.

In future tests, DAPA and KAI will evaluate the performance of avionics, including the active phased array radar. The flight range will also be gradually increased.

In the first test, the aircraft flew with at least two Meteor air-to-air missiles, but did not launch. KAI had previously tested Meteor and IRIS-T missiles on a second fighter prototype.

Source: Janes