‘KF-X’ prototype 1 unveiled… The largest defense project since Dangun of 8 trillion won

The first Korean fighter aircraft (KF-X) developed with domestic technology will appear to the public at the release ceremony next month.

According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) on the 1st, the KF-X prototype 1 will be presented to the public through a rollout event in the form of being released out of the hangar next month. The first appearance of a domestic fighter aircraft is an achievement in 20 years since former President Kim Dae-jung announced the development of a domestic fighter aircraft at the graduation ceremony of the Air Force Academy in March 2001. The Bangsaeng Administration and KAI have begun to develop the system since January 2016, and it has been achieved in 5 years. This was called the’largest defense capability enhancement project since Dangun’, with the project cost amounting to 8 trillion won.

The KF-X is 16.9m long, 4.7m high, and 11.2m wide, which is slightly larger than the F-16 and similar to the F-18. The specifications include a maximum thrust of 44,000 lb (pounds), a maximum take-off weight of 25,600 kg, and a maximum payload of 7700 kg. The maximum speed is Mach 1.81 (2200 km per hour), and the range is 2900 km. It can be equipped with European METEOR air-to-air missiles, German Dill’s air-to-air missiles (AIM-2000), and long-range air-to-ground guided missiles currently being developed in Korea.

The KF-X is scheduled to fly for the first time in July of next year after going through a ground test for about a year after the release ceremony. After that, it goes into mass production after successfully completing flight tests of 2,200 sorts (number of flights) for 4 years through prototypes 1-6.

Prototypes 2 to 3 will be produced by the end of this year and Prototypes 4 to 6 will be produced by the first half of next year. Among them, Si Nos 4 and 6 are made in the form of a double seat (two cockpits). Prototype 1, which is set to roll out next month, is currently over 90% completed. As the first domestic fighter, KF-X aims at 65% of domestic parts conversion rate at the mass production stage. AESA (Active Electron Scanning Phased Array) radar and infrared search and tracking equipment (IRST), which are the’eyes of a fighter’, are expected to be equipped with prototypes developed with domestic technology. The engine will also be partially localized through technical cooperation with GE. Jeong Gwang-sun, head of the KF-X project manager of the Radiation Administration, explained, “In the final mass production stage, we plan to install an engine with some parts localized.”

The appearance of the completed KF-X is expected to be a 4.5-generation fighter, similar to the US F-35A stealth fighter, which is counted as the fifth generation. General Manager Jeong said, “KF-X is not developed for the purpose of stealth capability, but since it has a stealth shape and secures its own platform, we will continue research on various derivatives.”

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