South Korea soars into elite group with K-21 fighter
Hailed by President Moon Jae-in as “a historic milestone in the development of the (South Korean) aviation industry,” the nation unveiled its homegrown supersonic jet fighter on Friday, joining an exclusive club of military aviation giants, CNN reported.
Once operational, the KF-21 — which looks very much like the American F-35 — is expected to be armed with a range of air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, and possibly even air-launched cruise missiles.
The twin-engine fighters, envisioned as a stepping stone to develop better fighter aircraft and operate locally developed arms, will come in single- and two-seat versions, depending on the missions to which they are tasked.
The flashy unveiling at the production plant of Korea Aerospace Industries in Sacheon, sets the stage for an ambitious US$7.8 billion program that South Korea hopes will be a top export driver and jobs creator.
Moon said after ground and flight tests are completed, mass production of the KF-21 will begin with a goal of 40 jets deployed by 2028 and 120 by 2032 — an ambitious plan for a small country.
https://asiatimes.com/2021/04/kf-21-jet-fighter-puts-south-korea-in-elite-group/
Maybe they can do for fighter jets what Hyundai and Kia have done for cars.
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