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

[Umigami]

When will Block 3 available to international market?
If Korean can't deliver it fast, China will dominate that "5th gen for non US allies / partners" with J35A for sure.

 

[Nilgiri]

When will Block 3 available to international market?
If Korean can't deliver it fast, China will dominate that "5th gen for non US allies / partners" with J35A for sure.

There's a plan from the US to make sure PRC and its allies lean into this stuff very hard and then undercut it later after they have over-committed....with whats on hand already regarding signals analysis, AI and networking....and making sure no repeat story of "easy IP for reverse engineering" to PRC w.r.t the critical RnD databases and processes regarding this (air gapping and removal of PRC "researchers in US unis etc" now and going forward) from the relative 1980 - 2015 bonhomie period signalled by CCP.

There is no such thing as unassailable superweapon. The very reason after all the hue and cry about anti-carrier ballistics....China forks out considerable resource into its CBGs too.

 

[urban mine]

KF-21 to "Achieve 1,000 Sorties"

With the achievement of 1,000 Sorties, it is meaningful that about half of the total 2,000 Sorties planned for System Development flight tests have been completed and the safety of the aircraft has been confirmed by achieving an accident-free flight record.

 

[Umigami]

What happen there mate ?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1863945241889222814

 

[hugh]

what would be the earliest year for KF-21's export if it had foreign costumers?

 

[urban mine]

[2025 신년기획] 천번의 시험 비행 … KF-21 진짜가 온다 - 매일경제

KAI '양산 1호기' 제작 현장 르포날개, 80겹 탄소섬유로 압착중앙 동체와 조립작업 돌입시제機 10년 시행착오 딛고2026년 9월 공군 인도 예정'KF-21' 양산 1호기 조립현장 언론 첫 공개

m.mk.co.kr

KAI released a photo of the first production KF-21 in the process of joining the center fuselage and main wings to the press.

 

[urban mine]

Top Air Force commander conducts 1st test flight of KF-21 fighter | Yonhap News Agency

SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Yonhap) -- Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Young-su commanded his first ...

en.yna.co.kr

Top Air Force commander conducts 1st test flight of KF-21 fighter​

SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Yonhap) -- Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Young-su commanded his first test flight of the KF-21 fighter jet Wednesday, officials said, as the armed service is set to receive the first batch of the homegrown fighter aircraft next year.

For Wednesday's flight test, Lee boarded the KF-21 at an air base in Sacheon, 291 kilometers south of Seoul, and flew at a speed of 1,000 kilometers per hour at an altitude of 4,500 meters over waters off the country's southern coast, according to the Air Force.

The KF-16, the Air Force's mainstay fighter, accompanied the KF-21, in an attempt to verify tactical operations capabilities with other aircraft, it added.

South Korea has been seeking to develop a homegrown advanced supersonic fighter since 2015 to replace its aging fleet of U.S.-made jets, including the F-5.

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., the jet's manufacturer, began production of the aircraft in July, with an aim to deliver the new fighter jet to frontline air bases starting in 2026.

 

[urban mine]

 

[Nilgiri]

(check out full thread on X for more footage etc)

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1892720969917005984

 

[Ripley]

(check out full thread on X for more footage etc)

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1892720969917005984

I don’t know how old General Lee Young-su is but he still looks extremely fit for duty!
Well done General

 

[urban mine]

I don’t know how old General Lee Young-su is but he still looks extremely fit for duty!
Well done General

His age is 58 years old. Does he look much younger to foreigners?

 

[TR_123456]

His age is 58 years old. Does he look much younger to foreigners?

Yes,many cant see it.

 

[Umigami]

Forum Militer Indonesia | Rombongan Anggota Komisi 1 DPR RI melakukan Kunjungan kerja ke Korea Selatan 17-19 Februari 2025 | Facebook

Rombongan Anggota Komisi 1 DPR RI melakukan Kunjungan kerja ke Korea Selatan 17-19 Februari 2025. Melakukan pertemuan dengan Komisi Luar Negeri Parlemen Korea Selatan dan salah satu hal yang dibahas...

www.facebook.com

The point of the kunker Komisi 1 DPR to Korea

A delegation from Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR RI) Commission 1 conducted a working visit to South Korea from February 17 to 19, 2025. During their visit, they held meetings with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the South Korean Parliament, with one of the main topics of discussion being defense cooperation, particularly the KF-21 program.

1. Indonesia has expressed dissatisfaction with the prolonged investigation into the alleged KF-21 data leak involving its five technical staff members. The Indonesian government has maintained that the joint KF-21 development project can only continue if this issue is resolved.
2. Previously, in a letter sent to South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) in September 2024, Indonesia reaffirmed its stance that discussions on amending the basic agreement would only take place once the allegations against the Indonesian technical staff were settled.
3. The case was supposed to be processed and handed over to the prosecutor's office in December 2024. However, the prosecutor's office returned it to the police for further investigation, which is still ongoing.
4. A South Korean government source stated that, so far, the investigation has not confirmed any leaks of classified or sensitive data related to the case. However, despite this, the South Korean government remains unable to take action due to public opinion considerations in South Korea.
5. Dr. Dave AF. Laksono, Vice Chairman of Indonesia’s Commission 1, emphasized the importance of KT-1, T-50, and other key South Korean defense systems that have been effectively utilized by Indonesia. He expressed hope that defense and defense industry cooperation between the two countries would be further strengthened.

KF-21 보안사고 봉합 ‘묘수찾기’

인니 의원 10명 내한 외통위 면담 “ KF-21 민감한 자료 유출 없어”   인니 ‘K-방산 협업 지속’ 공감대 한국과 인도네시아가 한국형전투기 KF-21(인니명 IF-X) 보라매 사업 공동개발사업 지속을 위해 ‘묘수찾기’에 골몰하고 있다. 차세대전투기를 국제 공동연구개발하기로 한 양국은 탐색개발을 성공적으로 마친데 이어 시험비행을 비롯한 체계개발을 진행중이다. 그런데 인니 측이 재정난을 이유로 애초 1조6000억원의 분담금을 6000억원으로 줄이면서 기술이전 범위 등 기본합의서 개정을 위한 협의가 필요한 상황이다. 여기에...

biz.heraldcorp.com

The news translation

10 Indonesian Lawmakers Visit South Korea for Meeting with Foreign Affairs Committee "No Leakage of Sensitive KF-21 Data" Indonesia and South Korea Reach Consensus on Continuing Defense Cooperation

View attachment 73791
South Korea and Indonesia are deeply engaged in finding a solution to continue their joint development of the Korean fighter jet KF-21 (known as IF-X in Indonesia).

The two countries, which agreed to conduct international joint research and development on next-generation fighter jets, successfully completed the exploratory development phase and are now proceeding with system development, including test flights.

However, Indonesia has reduced its initial contribution of KRW 1.6 trillion to KRW 600 billion due to financial difficulties, necessitating discussions to revise the basic agreement, including the scope of technology transfer.

Adding to the complexity, a security breach involving Indonesian engineers dispatched to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in January last year led to further complications. As a result, the situation has become even more challenging.

Amid this, a large delegation of Indonesian lawmakers has visited South Korea, drawing attention.

On the 18th, ten Indonesian lawmakers from the First Commission, which oversees foreign affairs and defense—including Vice Chairman Dave Laksono—along with Zelda Wulan Kartika, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Indonesian Embassy in South Korea, met with South Korean National Assembly members, including Kim Seok-ki, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee.

The Indonesian House of Representatives’ First Commission handles diplomacy and defense, and Dave Laksono, a three-term lawmaker, is the son of former House Speaker Agung Laksono, making him a key figure in Indonesian politics.

During the meeting, discussions focused on the South Korea-Indonesia relationship, ways to strengthen parliamentary exchanges and cooperation, and, most notably, the KF-21 project.

Indonesia has expressed dissatisfaction with the prolonged investigation into the five Indonesian engineers involved in the KF-21 data breach, stating that the issue must be resolved before continuing the joint development project.

In September last year, Indonesia officially informed South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) that it would only be able to negotiate amendments to the agreement once the engineers were cleared of allegations.

Recently, Indonesia has also requested a temporary return of the five engineers, who are currently under a travel ban and under investigation, ahead of the upcoming Ramadan period.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, which investigated the case at DAPA’s request, concluded its investigation in December last year and forwarded the case to the prosecution. However, the prosecution requested further investigation, leading to an ongoing inquiry.

So far, it has been reported that the USB devices, which were confiscated when the Indonesian engineers were caught attempting unauthorized data transfers, did not contain sensitive KF-21-related information.

Additionally, the photos taken from monitors could have been obtained through formal requests to KAI, suggesting procedural violations rather than breaches of classified information.

However, the combined impact of Indonesia’s reduced financial contribution and the data leak controversy has led to a deterioration in South Korean public sentiment toward Indonesia.

A government source stated, “As far as we know, no confidential or sensitive materials were leaked during the investigation. However, public opinion must be considered. Various options are being explored to sustain cooperation with Indonesia on the KF-21 project, and working-level discussions are ongoing.”

Some experts argue that a pragmatic approach is necessary, considering Indonesia was the first major customer of South Korea’s now globally recognized defense industry. They also point out that despite the 2011 hotel intrusion incident involving Indonesia’s special envoy and South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Indonesia did not escalate the matter, demonstrating its longstanding cooperation.

Representative Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party, who attended the meeting with Laksono, stated, “Indonesia was the first customer of our country’s aircraft exports and remains a key client of K-defense, having purchased the KT-1 basic trainer, T-50 advanced trainer, and even submarines.” He added, “During the meeting, we emphasized that Indonesia, as a partner in the KF-21 project, is successfully carrying out this win-win initiative between the two countries and highlighted the importance of defense cooperation between South Korea and Indonesia.”

Representative Yoo further stated, “Regarding the security incident involving Indonesian engineers, the South Korean government and National Assembly are making every effort to resolve the issue. We have asked the Indonesian side to trust us and actively cooperate in addressing the matter.”

So it's confirmed no sensitive data breach now?

 

[urban mine]

So it's confirmed no sensitive data breach now?

I think so, but it will only be over once there is an official statement from the investigating agency. Will this issue be sorted out before the current government ends and the next government takes office? I don't think the Indonesian government or the South Korean government has the time to care about this, so we'll have to wait and see. This kind of thing should be handled a little bit further down the line. I don't understand why it was blown up in the media.