Search

South Korea - Indonesia's less-expensive alternative to the F-35 jet takes off

South Korea - Indonesia's less-expensive alternative to the F-35 jet takes off

South Korea declared the first successful test flight of its indigenous fighter jet, joining a limited group of countries demonstrating such technology in an effort to lessen its reliance on the United States.

The KF-21, also known as the Boramae, jointly-developed by South Korea and Indonesia, flew for 30 minutes from an airport in the southern city of Sacheon on Tuesday, according to South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration. The aircraft, manufactured by Korea Aerospace Industries, will need more testing before going into mass production in 2026.

Keterangan Gambar (© Pemilik Gambar)

South Korea intends to create the next-generation aircraft as a less expensive alternative to Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 Lightning II, both for its own military and for export. Seoul, as one of the United States' closest security partners, has already purchased F-35s.

Keterangan Gambar (© Pemilik Gambar)

The $6.7 billion KF-21 project is funded by Indonesia, which has promised to cover 20% of the expenditures. In 2014, the two governments decided to collaborate on the development of the jet. South Korea is planning to deploy 40 KF-21s by 2028 and a total of 120 by 2032 to replace the service’s aging F-4 Phantoms, while 50 should be deployed by Indonesia. For this reason, the aircraft sported the Indonesian flag along with the Korean one during the first flight.

 

South Korea announced the KF-21 design in April of last year as part of a larger plan to demonstrate its ability to stay up with neighbors such as China, Japan, and North Korea. South Korea has recently invested in military modernization, successfully launching its first submarine-launched ballistic missile and its first rocket to bolster its domestic space program.

The aircraft type would be verified as a potentially combat-capable asset at the end of 2023, and additional ordnance tests for KF-21 Block-2 will be conducted in 2026.

Forty Block-1 jets are envisioned to be capable of air-to-air battles while 80 Block-2 jets that will be deployed as of 2028 are meant to also perform air-to-ground engagements.

 

Akhyari Hananto

I began my career in the banking industry in 1997, and stayed approx 6 years in it. This industry boost his knowledge about the economic condition in Indonesia, both macro and micro, and how to More understand it. My banking career continued in Yogyakarta when I joined in a program funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),as the coordinator for a program aimed to help improve the quality of learning and teaching process in private universities in Yogyakarta. When the earthquake stroke Yogyakarta, I chose to join an international NGO working in the area of ?disaster response and management, which allows me to help rebuild the city, as well as other disaster-stricken area in Indonesia. I went on to become the coordinator for emergency response in the Asia Pacific region. Then I was assigned for 1 year in Cambodia, as a country coordinator mostly to deliver developmental programs (water and sanitation, education, livelihood). In 2009, he continued his career as a protocol and HR officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, and two years later I joined the Political and Economic Section until now, where i have to deal with extensive range of people and government officials, as well as private and government institution troughout eastern Indonesia. I am the founder and Editor-in-Chief in Good News From Indonesia (GNFI), a growing and influential social media movement, and was selected as one of The Most Influential Netizen 2011 by The Marketeers magazine. I also wrote a book on "Fundamentals of Disaster Management in 2007"?, "Good News From Indonesia : Beragam Prestasi Anak Bangsa di dunia"? which was luanched in August 2013, and "Indonesia Bersyukur"? which is launched in Sept 2013. In 2014, 3 books were released in which i was one of the writer; "Indonesia Pelangi Dunia"?, "Indonesia The Untold Stories"? and "Growing! Meretas Jalan Kejayaan" I give lectures to students in lectures nationwide, sharing on full range of issues, from economy, to diplomacy Less
View all posts

Terima kasih telah membaca sampai di sini