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advanced weapons systems of mutual inter- been fitted with an AESA radar and will be used for various flight
est. Ted Colbert, President and CEO of Boeing tests, including verification and weapons testing.
Defence, Space and Security, signed the MOU
with DAPA Minister Eom Donghwan.“For over 70 The 4th and 6th prototypes of the KF-21 are two-seat aircraft that
years Boeing has been committed to its partner- are also slated to undertake training missions for ROKAF pilots on
ship with Korea,” said Colbert. “This agreement the type. The two seat KF-21 prototypes are essentially the same
aligns with Boeing and DAPA’s common interest as the single-seat aircraft, but there are some differences due to
of establishing a strategic partnership to sup- changes in some internal components because of the addition of the
port the U.S.-ROK alliance.” Eom said the joint rear cockpit. All six KF-21 prototypes feature different paint schemes
effort will have a positive impact on the Korean and the 6th aircraft was painted in a dark camouflage color on the
defence industry, especially small & medium fuselage and tail wings to differentiate it from other prototypes. On
sized companies, by creating large-scale value completion of flight testing, a decision will be taken to retain one of
from the initial state as part of Boeing’s global the paint schemes on all production KF-21s.
value chain.

Indigenous Hawk

Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), which is on
a high with recent export wins of its FA-50 to
Poland and Malaysia, is also well advanced in
the KF-21 programme. KAI rolled out the first
KF-21 prototype in April 2021 and all six KF-21
flight test prototypes have now undertaken suc-
cesful first flights. DAPA Director Eom Dong-hwan
announced in June, that the 6th KF-21 prototype
had made its first flight, taking off from the 3rd
Training Wing (Sacheon). According to DAPA, all
six KF-21 prototypes will be utilized to continu-
ously conduct flight tests to verify capabilities
such as supersonic flight , advanced avionics
and EW equipment , and air-to-air armament.

As of May 2023, KAI has completed approx-
imately 200 flight tests over a period of
approximately two years, since the maiden flight
of the first KF-21 prototype in July 2022; com-
pleting the verification of approximately 260 test The 8.8 trillion won ($7.8 billion) KF-21 programme is slated to deliver
items, including aircraft speed, combat radius an operational 4.5 gen fighter aircraft to the ROKAF by 2026. Korean
and landing distance. Flight testing of the 6th industry has a significant role in the KF-21 programme. Hanwha
KF-21 prototype has confirmed that the impact Systems is developing Korea’s first AESA radar for fighter jet for use
of the difference in shape from the single-seat on the KF-21 along with other systems such as an electro-optical
aircraft has improved handling stability and targeting pod (EO TGP) and infra-red search and track (IRST) system
expanded flight range. This aircraft has also along with the large primary cockpit display.
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