Korea KF-X/ IF-X (KF-21) program

urban mine

Well-known member
Messages
302
Reactions
38 714
Nation of residence
South Korea
Nation of origin
South Korea
UAE seems to be moving in the direction of selecting KF-21 as its next fighter.

Well, it's just an MOU. As I wrote in the Foreign Defense Cooperation thread, it's all about things like UAE participation in exercises involving KF-21, or Korean KF-21 participating in exercises like Desert Eagle in the UAE. Any talk of the UAE considering the KF-21 as a next-generation fighter is premature. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking on the part of the Korean government.
 

Yasar_TR

Experienced member
Staff member
Administrator
Messages
3,430
Reactions
172 17,553
Nation of residence
United Kingdom
Nation of origin
Turkey
Unless there is an operational F47 that can replace F22, the Raptor is the top fighter jet in my book. It has high LO characteristics and is a true monster that still many 5th gen manufacturers take as a point of reference. If US would take the leap and start upgrading its avionics, radar and sensors to more current levels, it is going to stay as the reference aircraft for many years to come.

As a fighter jet, F35 has many deficiencies and faults that makes it a bit of an odd ball. Yes, as a stealth jet, advanced sensors and electronics, it has unbelievable prowess. But as a jet fighter with numerous munitions, it is not that great. Especially when you look at the downtime the US airforce has to contend with. As soon as you start placing weapons on its pylons, you have lost your edge as LO plane. That is why RAF sees it as complementary to the Typhoons. A good plane like Typhoon has acceptable degree of low observability and a very good kinematics that can give a run for its money for a plane like Raptor.

KAI's Boramae, is aiming to be a reasonably good LO plane, presumably better RCA than Typhoon with similar degree of high kinematics, so that it can be a bridge between F35 and a high end true jet fighter. As it is produced in house, Korea can put up with any of its adverse idiosyncrasies, if there were any, until they are ironed out. Not like having to put up with a US supplied F35, where the engine may pack up or it needs its RAM paint replenished after each flight.

It is a no brainer to have your own fighter where you can control everything and put up with its high cost if need be. You can manufacture it in dozens and not lose sleep over it. Until a new version is produced with Internal payload capabilities, where there are already provisions for, and a stealthy indigenous engine, Boramae can be the work horse of Korean Airforce. Well done to the Korean engineers.

So I can understand UAE’s interest if the news are true!
 

Follow us on social media

Top Bottom