Sometime in the late 1990s, officials in Seoul seriously raised the idea that South Korea should build its own fighter. In 2002, the proposal surfaced publicly as the KF-X project, only to experience countless bureaucratic twists and turns as doubters sought to stop it and parliament constrained spending to design studies only. Now, finally, the KF-X has been launched into full-scale development, although with seemingly modest funding for its first year. Prime contractor Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is due to begin deliveries in 2026, building 40 of the twin-engine aircraft by 2028; a further 80 should follow in 2029-32. Indonesia is a partner, contributing 20% of development costs.
展开▼
