Sacheon, South Korea – The KF-21 Boramae, South Korea's indigenously developed advanced fighter jet, marked a significant milestone with the successful completion of its first aerial refueling test. This achievement significantly extends the aircraft's potential combat range and flexibility.
On Tuesday, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) confirmed that the fifth KF-21 prototype conducted the test over South Korea's southeastern waters. The aircraft, launched from an airbase in Sacheon, successfully connected with a KC-330 tanker to receive fuel mid-flight.
DAPA emphasized the importance of this test, stating that the ability to refuel in flight could increase the KF-21's operational range by up to 50%. This translates into longer missions, greater weapon capacity, and ultimately enhanced overall combat effectiveness for the South Korean Air Force.
Ongoing Development and Testing
The primary focus of the test was to evaluate the KF-21's handling characteristics during aerial refueling. Key areas of interest include stability during turbulence and safe connection and disconnection procedures with the tanker aircraft. DAPA plans to conduct extensive testing of the refueling system under various flight conditions over the next year.The KF-21 program, a joint venture initiated in 2015 with Indonesia, aims to replace South Korea's aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 fighter jets with a domestically produced, next-generation aircraft.
Challenges Along the Way
While the KF-21 project has made impressive strides, there have been challenges. Korean authorities are currently investigating allegations of technology data theft by Indonesian engineers involved in the project.Additionally, Indonesia has fallen behind on its financial contributions. DAPA has stressed that Indonesia must meet its funding obligations by 2026 for the project to continue.
