South Korea's KF-21 fighter receives type certification
· UPIJune 16 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's domestically developed KF-21 Boramae fighter jet has received its initial type certification after meeting all government airworthiness requirements, the country's arms procurement agency said Tuesday.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said the Airworthiness Certification Review Committee approved the certification after reviewing the results of the KF-21 development program at its 89th meeting Monday at the government complex in Gwacheon, south of Seoul.
The committee concluded that the aircraft had satisfied every requirement under the military airworthiness certification standards.
The airworthiness review began in April 2021 and continued through April. Monday's decision represented the committee's final approval of the accumulated review results, allowing the KF-21 to receive its initial type certification.
The certification means the South Korean government has formally recognized the safety of the KF-21's approved design.
The aircraft's full combat suitability determination in May evaluated operational capabilities, including mission performance and weapons employment. The type certification focused on whether the aircraft could protect its pilot and operate safely, including under extreme environmental and flight conditions.
The KF-21 passed 745 inspection items across 14 categories, including aircraft structure, weapons integration and electronic systems.
"The airworthiness certification capabilities and experience we have accumulated provided the foundation for objectively demonstrating the KF-21's flight safety," DAPA Deputy Minister Kim Il-dong said.
"This will be a decisive factor in earning the confidence of prospective foreign buyers during future export efforts," Kim said. "We expect the government-certified flight safety of the aircraft to contribute significantly to expanding South Korean defense exports."
The agency plans to conduct individual airworthiness inspections on each aircraft during mass production. The inspections will verify that production jets are built in accordance with the design approved through the type certification process.
The agency said it would also maintain strict quality controls and systematic program management as it prepares the fighter for operational deployment.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260616010005356