Korea KF-X/ IF-X (KF-21) program

[Van Kravchenko]

prototype 5

Is it will be flying capable or not?

 

[Indos]

Is it will be flying capable or not?

Of course yes. We have prepared around 5-6 test pilots for this program.

 

[Van Kravchenko]

Of course yes. We have prepared around 5-6 test pilots for this program.

Glad to hear that, anyway. Did ya have any information why SoKor in urges to build double seater plane in the middle of golden age of computer pricessing flying simulator ?

 

[Indos]

Glad to hear that, anyway. Did ya have any information why SoKor in urges to build double seater plane in the middle of golden age of computer pricessing flying simulator ?

I dont know, but I think it is good for international sales, easier to sale the plane if we have tandem seat version.

According to Airspace Review, tandem seat is requested by Indonesian Air Force

Yuk, nantikan penerbangan pertama KF-21 pada akhir Juni 2022

AIRSPACE REVIEW (airspace-review.com) - Tak hanya dinantikan publik Korea Selatan, penerbangan perdana jet tempur KF-21 kerja sama Korea

www.airspace-review.com

 

[Indos]

Singapore Airshow 2022: KF-21 captures Asia-Pacific and European export interest​

15th February 2022 - 04:25 GMT | by Tim Martin in Singapore

KAI has held talks with potential KF-21 fighter jet export customers from Asia-Pacific and Europe.

The KAI KF-21 Boramae 4.5-generation fighter has attracted the attention of potential buyers from Asia-Pacific and Europe, as the manufacturer begins to ramp up preparations for the first flight of the new jet in July.

KAI has completed production of four aircraft to undergo testing as part of an engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) phase underwritten by South Korea.

The EMD will cover ground tests, flight tests, armament tests and a number of other airworthiness items, all to be held at the KAI facility in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province.

‘We expect to complete testing in less than two years and begin production in 2024,’ Jae Yun Park, aircraft business development manager at KAI, told Shephard.

In all, six prototypes are expected to undergo testing before production begins.

‘Roughly [production will cover] three squadrons and available to export customers after that,' Jae said. 'The government is going to decide and let us know when exactly it will be available for export programmes.

Some [of those interested] are in Asia-Pacific and some are in Europe.’
Park added that the US government would have to give export approval for KF-21 weapons packages before any such sales could move forward.

Singapore Airshow 2022: KF-21 captures Asia-Pacific and European export interest | Shephard

KAI has held talks with potential KF-21 fighter jet export customers from Asia-Pacific and Europe.

www.shephardmedia.com

 

[Indos]

If we have 6 flying prototype and 2 static prototype, of course it is possible to speed up the program inshaAllah.

 

[Van Kravchenko]

If we have 6 flying prototype and 2 static prototype, of course it is possible to speed up the program inshaAllah.

Yo hold up, H225M, N219, C212, CN235, NBell, then IFX do you think current PTDI facility enough to support such airplane related massive order ?

What i try to ask here is, why on earth all Defence SOE didn't want to expand their production facility outside java to support wide market ?

 

[Indos]

Yo hold up, H225M, N219, C212, CN235, NBell, then IFX do you think current PTDI facility enough to support such airplane related massive order ?

What i try to ask here is, why on earth all Defence SOE didn't want to expand their production facility outside java to support wide market ?

They are already thinking about that, currently there are 2 candidate location for expansion

 

[Indos]

I think Java is the best, due to the closeness with main office in Bandung and the human power quality. Like those best state universities are all in Java.

 

[Indos]

This I think one of the candidates, the location is still in West Java and there is toll road between Kertajati and Bandung (where PTDI main complex located)

 

[Baljak]

Video Source: Defense Acquisition Program Administration

A FTB (Flying Test Bed) equipped with the AESA radar, the core equipment of the first Korean fighter KF-21, was unveiled for the first time.

The aircraft's Radome is equipped with KF-21's AESA radar, and a unique type of test aircraft that protrudes like a duck's snout arrived at Incheon International Airport early last month and is on a test flight.

The KF-21 AESA radar test aircraft was adapted from the Boeing 737-500, a civilian airliner introduced from South Africa (Republic of South Africa), and equipped with AESA radar and various test equipment. The AESA radar of the KF-21 fighter jet, which will be developed by 2026, will be mounted on the test aircraft to conduct pre-test in various environments. It is also the first time that a test aircraft has been operated in Korea's aircraft development process. Radome, which looks like a duck's snout, is equipped with KF-21's AESA radar, and this radome is the same shape as KF-21's radome.

Test aircraft are used to develop various avionics equipment and software such as radar, and technologically advanced countries such as the United States and Europe have often used this method in the process of aircraft development. Lockheed Martin of the U.S. tested the technology of the F-35 with a CATBird, an experimental aircraft that modified the Boeing 737 to develop the F-35 stealth aircraft. The CATBird is equipped with radar and aeronautical equipment mounted on the F-35 fighter jet, and the radome's part protrudes like a duck's snout, much like the KF-21 radar test aircraft.

The first prototype of the KF-21 AESA radar released on August 7, 2020. Fire control, multi-function radar mounted on the cutting-edge fighter jets. The radar is capable of detecting, tracking enemy aircrafts, ground and sea targets. It can also control guided missiles.

This AESA Radar will be the key device for the KF-21 Boramae, which is compared to the eyes of the aircraft. AESA radar emits multiple frequency beams at the same time to detect enemy targets. It can drastically reduce the possibilities of aircrafts being attacked as opposed to the single frequency beam radar. By detecting and tracking targets, AESA radar acquires the information including the distance to target, target’s azimuth, elevation, speed, etc. In the case of KF-21 AESA radar program, it marks Korea’s first AESA radar development efforts. KF-21 AESA radar is one of the most essential avionics sensors, which performs various missions such as surveillance, detection of air and ground targets and generation of their video images.

Key components of AESA radar including antenna, semiconductor transmit/receive modules can be reused 100% for MFR radar with the same frequency band. So, AESA radar is easily scalable to other new businesses in the future.

The antennas of the existing mechanical radar move up and down to detect and track targets, but the antennas of the AESA radar used in stealth fighters are detected and tracked by more than 1,000 fixed transmission and reception modules shooting electron beams.

Compared to conventional mechanical radars, the advantage is that they can perform combat missions while detecting and tracking a number of targets. It can also detect ground and sea targets while carrying out air-to-air combat missions.

Video Source: Defense Acquisition Program Administration

Currently, KF-21's EASA radar development process is underway with four projects.

AESA Radar Research and Development Project-I
2014 ~ 2019

AESA Radar Research and Development Project-II
2017 ~ 2021

Hardware Demonstration Prototype Development Project
2016 ~ 2019

Completed Prototype Development Project
2016 ~ 2026

AESA radar is a detection and tracking device operated not only on aircraft but also on ground combat vehicles and warships, and is a high-tech device that advanced weapons countries are reluctant to transfer technology. Since it is highly sophisticated technology and thus is very difficult to develop, only a small group of advanced countries like the United States, United Kingdom, France, Sweden and Israel are holding AESA radar’s source technology.

In 2014, Lockheed Martin, which promised to transfer the technology of AESA radar, EO TGP, ISRT, and RF Jammer during the development of KF-21, refused to transfer the technology. Since then, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and Hanwha Systems have developed the KF-21 AESA radar prototype and are currently testing it through test aircraft.

The test aircraft was decided to renovate the Boeing 737-500 in South Africa through competitive bidding, and the work was completed by the end of last year. Before the test aircraft entered Korea, a total of 10 flight tests were conducted in South Africa from November to December last year to complete basic radar function and performance tests, including the maximum detection distance, which is the core performance.

An official from the Agency for Defense Development who participated in the test aircraft project said, "The project to build a test aircraft cost more than 10 billion won, and due to the COVID-19 situation, it was quite difficult to renovate it in South Africa."

A total of 50 flight tests will be conducted until April, and a total of 62 items will be evaluated and tested. The detection and tracking functions of air-to-air mode are mainly tested, but detection functions and electronic warfare capabilities for land and sea are also tested.

Through this process, development software will be optimized while minimizing risks in the process of developing KF-21 AESA radar. Once taken off from Incheon International Airport, it flies in the air combat training area of the Air Force in the West Sea for about three hours and conducts detection and tracking tests on test targets.

 

[Combat-Master]

Video Source: Defense Acquisition Program Administration

A FTB (Flying Test Bed) equipped with the AESA radar, the core equipment of the first Korean fighter KF-21, was unveiled for the first time.

The aircraft's Radome is equipped with KF-21's AESA radar, and a unique type of test aircraft that protrudes like a duck's snout arrived at Incheon International Airport early last month and is on a test flight.

The KF-21 AESA radar test aircraft was adapted from the Boeing 737-500, a civilian airliner introduced from South Africa (Republic of South Africa), and equipped with AESA radar and various test equipment. The AESA radar of the KF-21 fighter jet, which will be developed by 2026, will be mounted on the test aircraft to conduct pre-test in various environments. It is also the first time that a test aircraft has been operated in Korea's aircraft development process. Radome, which looks like a duck's snout, is equipped with KF-21's AESA radar, and this radome is the same shape as KF-21's radome.

Test aircraft are used to develop various avionics equipment and software such as radar, and technologically advanced countries such as the United States and Europe have often used this method in the process of aircraft development. Lockheed Martin of the U.S. tested the technology of the F-35 with a CATBird, an experimental aircraft that modified the Boeing 737 to develop the F-35 stealth aircraft. The CATBird is equipped with radar and aeronautical equipment mounted on the F-35 fighter jet, and the radome's part protrudes like a duck's snout, much like the KF-21 radar test aircraft.

View attachment 42422
The first prototype of the KF-21 AESA radar released on August 7, 2020. Fire control, multi-function radar mounted on the cutting-edge fighter jets. The radar is capable of detecting, tracking enemy aircrafts, ground and sea targets. It can also control guided missiles.

This AESA Radar will be the key device for the KF-21 Boramae, which is compared to the eyes of the aircraft. AESA radar emits multiple frequency beams at the same time to detect enemy targets. It can drastically reduce the possibilities of aircrafts being attacked as opposed to the single frequency beam radar. By detecting and tracking targets, AESA radar acquires the information including the distance to target, target’s azimuth, elevation, speed, etc. In the case of KF-21 AESA radar program, it marks Korea’s first AESA radar development efforts. KF-21 AESA radar is one of the most essential avionics sensors, which performs various missions such as surveillance, detection of air and ground targets and generation of their video images.

Key components of AESA radar including antenna, semiconductor transmit/receive modules can be reused 100% for MFR radar with the same frequency band. So, AESA radar is easily scalable to other new businesses in the future.

The antennas of the existing mechanical radar move up and down to detect and track targets, but the antennas of the AESA radar used in stealth fighters are detected and tracked by more than 1,000 fixed transmission and reception modules shooting electron beams.

Compared to conventional mechanical radars, the advantage is that they can perform combat missions while detecting and tracking a number of targets. It can also detect ground and sea targets while carrying out air-to-air combat missions.

Video Source: Defense Acquisition Program Administration

Currently, KF-21's EASA radar development process is underway with four projects.

AESA Radar Research and Development Project-I
2014 ~ 2019

AESA Radar Research and Development Project-II
2017 ~ 2021

Hardware Demonstration Prototype Development Project
2016 ~ 2019

Completed Prototype Development Project
2016 ~ 2026

AESA radar is a detection and tracking device operated not only on aircraft but also on ground combat vehicles and warships, and is a high-tech device that advanced weapons countries are reluctant to transfer technology. Since it is highly sophisticated technology and thus is very difficult to develop, only a small group of advanced countries like the United States, United Kingdom, France, Sweden and Israel are holding AESA radar’s source technology.

In 2014, Lockheed Martin, which promised to transfer the technology of AESA radar, EO TGP, ISRT, and RF Jammer during the development of KF-21, refused to transfer the technology. Since then, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and Hanwha Systems have developed the KF-21 AESA radar prototype and are currently testing it through test aircraft.

The test aircraft was decided to renovate the Boeing 737-500 in South Africa through competitive bidding, and the work was completed by the end of last year. Before the test aircraft entered Korea, a total of 10 flight tests were conducted in South Africa from November to December last year to complete basic radar function and performance tests, including the maximum detection distance, which is the core performance.

An official from the Agency for Defense Development who participated in the test aircraft project said, "The project to build a test aircraft cost more than 10 billion won, and due to the COVID-19 situation, it was quite difficult to renovate it in South Africa."

A total of 50 flight tests will be conducted until April, and a total of 62 items will be evaluated and tested. The detection and tracking functions of air-to-air mode are mainly tested, but detection functions and electronic warfare capabilities for land and sea are also tested.

Through this process, development software will be optimized while minimizing risks in the process of developing KF-21 AESA radar. Once taken off from Incheon International Airport, it flies in the air combat training area of the Air Force in the West Sea for about three hours and conducts detection and tracking tests on test targets.

What is the workshare of Israel's Elbit Systems and Elta Systems in development of S.Korea's KF-21 AESA radar ?

 

[Baljak]

What is the workshare of Israel's Elbit Systems and Elta Systems in development of S.Korea's KF-21 AESA radar ?

Elbit and Elta are not technically involved in the development of KF-21's AESA radar.

However, Elbit is responsible for supplying KF-21's terrain-following/terrain avoidance (TF/TA) systems, and Elta is responsible for performance demonstration tests on the hardware of the AESA radar developed by Hanwha Systems.

 

[Baljak]

(English subtitles are supported)
Video source: Defense Acquisition Program Administration

The fighter's surface is mainly made of aluminum, which requires painting to prevent corrosion. Here is the KF-21 painting work, which takes place in meticulous and careful steps. KF-21 wearing new clothes and waiting for the day to fly to the sky in Korea.

 

[Nilgiri]

(English subtitles are supported)
Video source: Defense Acquisition Program Administration

The fighter's surface is mainly made of aluminum, which requires painting to prevent corrosion. Here is the KF-21 painting work, which takes place in meticulous and careful steps. KF-21 wearing new clothes and waiting for the day to fly to the sky in Korea.

Recently I was following the AESA radar development for this aircraft. Very impressive progress by on that front.

 

[NEKO]

The fighter's surface is mainly made of aluminum, which requires painting to prevent corrosion.

Does stealth fighter "radar absorbent material" only in the paint and not the aircraft body itself?
KF-21, F-22, F-35.

 

[Nilgiri]

Does stealth fighter "radar absorbent material" only in the paint and not the aircraft body itself?
KF-21, F-22, F-35.

AFAIK, application (past RCS geometry) is indeed mostly still in the paint/surface (to essentially have the lowest reflectivity possible to the relevant EM waves).

Various intrinsic structural absorption like honeycomb absorber, jaumann absorber etc is still ongoing field of research and development for stealth aircraft (given the considerable requirements at play and broad spectrum absorption needed to make it worth it).

We may see their more matured application in 6th gen.

 

[Fuzuli NL]

긴 라이브, 한국!

 

[Baljak]

Does stealth fighter "radar absorbent material" only in the paint and not the aircraft body itself?
KF-21, F-22, F-35.

The development project for aircraft stealth materials used in KF-21 was completed in 2009. However, the KF-21 (Block 0) prototype currently being developed does not include all the functions of the fighter plane.

The KF-21 Block 0, which will be test-flying this year, is intended to test basic functionality and flight performance as a 4.5-generation fighter jet, excluding stealth materials (Stealth coating material) and armed systems (Hardpoint).

Block 1 with stealth materials (Stealth coating material) and armed systems, which will be completed in 2026, will be a true fighter plane.

 

[NEKO]

Block 1 with stealth materials (Stealth coating material) and armed systems, which will be completed in 2026, will be a true fighter plane.

2026 is when the production started right?

I hope before 2026 KAI make the prototype(block 0) with stealth materials just like how the production version would be, so they can know if there is some problems with the stealth or aerodynamic aspect of the plane and they can fix or improve it before the production begin.

Can't wait to see the prototype flying and also see it in indonesian air force marking.

Also your video with the eng subtitle is really helpful because original videos from DAPA never have it.