South Korea receives first production KF-21 Boramae fighter jet

The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has officially taken delivery of the first production model of the KF-21 Boramae, a domestically developed 4.5-generation fighter jet. On September 22, 2026, the aircraft was transferred from the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) facility in Sacheon and flown to the Yecheon Air Base. The delivery flight was escorted by a formation of FA-50, TA-50, and T-50 Golden Eagle aircraft.

This milestone marks the transition of the Boramae program from the development and testing phase into active military service. The jet is intended to replace aging fleets, including the F-4 Phantom and F-5. The aircraft features significant indigenous technology, such as an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, despite utilizing GE Aerospace F414 engines.

The program, which traces its origins back to a 2001 initiative, has undergone extensive testing, including approximately 1,600 test sorties. South Korea aims to deploy more than 100 of these aircraft by the early 2030s, with plans for up to 120 units. The first production aircraft will be operated by the 156th Fighter Squadron, a unit reactivated specifically to integrate the new fighter.