No American Missiles for KF-21: What This Means for South Korea’s Fighter Jet

During a celebratory flight at the Armed Forces Day event on October 1, South Korea’s next-generation fighter jet, the KF-21 Boramae, was in the spotlight. However, recent reports have raised concerns about the aircraft’s future capabilities, as officials confirmed on Tuesday that the KF-21 will not be equipped with American-made air-to-air missiles. This development could severely limit the aircraft’s operational effectiveness, as many export customers seek compatibility with U.S.-made missile systems.

According to officials, the core issue lies with integrating the KF-21’s domestically developed Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar with American air-to-air missiles, such as the AIM-9X (Sidewinder) and AIM-120 (AMRAAM). Delays in U.S. government export approvals for the necessary technical documentation have put this integration on hold, prompting concerns that the KF-21 could struggle to meet international demand if these key weapons systems remain unavailable.

During a National Assembly audit of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), Rep. Yoo Yong Won of the People Power Party highlighted the gravity of the situation. “The delay in U.S. government export approvals for the documentation required to integrate the KF-21 with American missiles has rendered it impossible to equip the aircraft with AIM-9X and AIM-120 missiles,” Rep. Yoo stated. As a result, the KF-21 is currently undergoing testing with European missiles, including the AIM-2000 and Meteor.

Rep. Yoo further explained that air-to-air missile integration is critical for the KF-21’s AESA radar. Initially, the plan was to equip the fighter with both American missiles and European alternatives. However, the current delay in U.S. export approvals has pushed the KF-21’s development into reliance on European missile systems.

Reports suggest that the South Korean Air Force initially preferred integrating American missiles into the KF-21’s arsenal. Yet, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration’s delayed request for U.S. export approval has compounded the issue, leaving the future of the KF-21’s missile capabilities in a precarious position.

In response to these concerns, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration clarified, “This decision was made in consultation with the Air Force, and it follows the U.S. government’s stance on restricting technical data. We are currently proceeding with integrating and testing two European air-to-air missiles, the AIM-2000 and Meteor.”