South Korea and the UAE have tested Seoul’s homegrown KF-21 Boramae fighter at Sacheon Air Base in Gyeongsangnam-do, showcasing their growing defense cooperation.
At the event, UAE Deputy Minister of Defense Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi rode in the back seat of the jet. It was escorted by an FA-50 piloted by the Republic of Korea Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Yeon-su, Carro e Motos reported.
From takeoff to landing, Al Alawi got a firsthand look at the fighter’s cockpit layout and performance. Both officials then highlighted the countries’ intent to push ahead with closer military and technology ties.
This latest flight follows an April 2025 letter of intent between the two nations to pursue “comprehensive cooperation” on the KF-21 program.
It builds on Seoul’s earlier proposals for joint development projects with Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern partners, ahead of the KF-21’s planned commissioning into the South Korean armed forces by the end of the decade.
The agreement did not specify whether Abu Dhabi would buy the next-generation fighters, but sources say the UAE’s involvement signals its interest in adopting the aircraft.
Progress
The Sacheon “friendship flight” came after tests of the sixth KF-21 Boramae prototype, which focused on combat readiness and flight control systems.
The program has already accumulated more than 1,300 sorties, or approximately 70 percent of the flights planned for the Block 1 prototyping phase.
Seoul aims to field up to 120 KF-21s by the early 2030s, with the first 20 expected to be delivered between 2026 and 2027. They will take over the roles of South Korea’s American-origin F-4 and F-5 strike fleets upon entering service.
The KF-21 Boramae
The KF-21 measures 17 meters (57 feet) in length, has a wingspan of 11 meters (36 feet), and can carry up to 6,000 kilograms (13,228 pounds) of fuel.
It is fitted with twin Hanwha/General Electric F414 engines with 110,000 horsepower for a flight altitude of 16,700 meters (54,790 feet), a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 (2,223 kilometers/1,381 miles per hour), and a range of 1,500 nautical miles (2,778 kilometers/1,726 miles).
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