Korea KF-X/ IF-X (KF-21) program

urban mine

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How did South Korea get the KF-21 unit cost to $65 million per unit?
I don't know, it probably reflected the exchange rate, labor costs, and raw material prices at the time. It's probably higher now. But at the point of mass production, it will be closer to the targeted unit cost.
 

urban mine

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Korea and Indonesia agreed to cut KF-21 development contributions from 1.6 trillion won(20%) to 600 billion won and reduce technology transfer.
It reduced from 20% to about 7%.

Indonesia is expected to pay the remaining 200 billion won in sharing costs in installments of 100 billion won per year.

However, the specific scope of technology transfer resulting from the reduction in Indonesia's share of the costs will require additional negotiations and discussions after the KF-21 Full Scale Development is completed.

The two countries also discussed the mass production of Indonesia's IF-X.

KAI and Indonesian state-owned company PTDI agreed to solidify and strengthen strategic cooperation in areas ranging from production to marketing in order to realize the mass production of IF-X, including the establishment and maintenance of infrastructure for production and final assembly, as well as maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO).
 

urban mine

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KF-21 prototype No. 6 undergoing maintenance in the second hangar, which was completed this year.
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urban mine

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An additional contract worth a total of 3.1 trillion won for the introduction of Korean fighter KF-21 has been completed. The Air Force's plan to electrify 40 KF-21s by 2028 is expected to go smoothly.

KAI announced on the 26th that it has signed a remaining contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, including the supply of 20 Korean fighter jets, KF-21. This contract includes follow-up military support (technical instructors, education, etc.), totaling 2.39 trillion won.

In addition, Hanwha Aerospace also signed an additional contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration to supply KF-21 fighter engines worth about 62.3 billion won. Hanwha System also signed a contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration to supply 20 active phase array (AESA) radars worth 124.8 billion won.


In March last year, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration approved a plan to deliver a total of 40 KF-21 first mass-produced aircraft to the Air Force by 2028 at the Defense Promotion Committee. Based on this, it signed the first mass production priority contract for 20 KF-21s in June last year, and this time signed a contract for the remaining 20 units, completing the contract for a total of 40 units.

Korea's KF-21 system development project is a key national defense project to replace the retired and aged F-4 and F-5 of the Air Force and develop 4.5-generation fighter jets suitable for future battlefield operations. It plans to complete the development of the system next year and deploy it in the Air Force from the second half of next year. A KAI official said, "The development and mass production of KF-21 are symbols of the rapid growth of the barren Korean aviation industry," adding, "As we have completed the first mass production contract, we will do our best to contribute to the strengthening of our air force's power and the development of the aviation industry."


Hanwha Aerospace signed a contract to supply KF-21 fighter engines worth 556.2 billion won in June last year, and signed an additional engine supply contract worth about 62.3 billion won on the same day.

According to the signing of this contract, the total contract for the first mass production of KF-21 is about 1.1794 trillion won, and 80 F414 engines will be supplied by December 2028. The contract also includes the supply of maintenance parts, engine maintenance instructors, and follow-up military support such as on-site technical support. Hanwha Aerospace has been producing more than 10,000 engines for 46 years, starting with the Air Force F-4 fighter in 1979, KF-16, F-15K, T-50 and KF-21, and has developed 11 engines on its own.
 

urban mine

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KAI unveiled its KF-21 assembly line at its fixed-wing production site. Currently, the first mass-produced unit is in the final assembly stage, with LRUs being installed. The second and third units are in the final stages of structural assembly and awaiting preparation for final assembly. (The video appears to have been filmed previously.)
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A graphic depicting a total of five units on the line. As far as I remember, the lines next to it are the assembly lines for the T/FA-50 series. I think the helicopters were next to that.
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It is also worth noting that, according to the person in charge, 80% of the parts processing for the first 20 units of mass production, which was signed last year, has been completed. There are some supply issues with the LRU, but KAI, the government, and other relevant agencies are responding comprehensively, and they have promised that the goal of delivery in the second half of 2026 will be met. It is very difficult for the supply chain to recover to pre-COVID levels.
 
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