KAI prepares for KF-21 first-flight milestone
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is on track to conduct the first flight of its KF-21 Boramae multirole fighter aircraft, buoyed by the completed development of the platform’s new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
A spokesperson from KAI told Janes on 21 February that the company is preparing a First Flight Readiness Review (FFRR) and is ensuring the preparedness of components and line-replaceable units (LRUs) for the event.
The KF-21’s first flight is scheduled for July, the spokesperson confirmed.
The preparation process is supported by continuing flight trials, undertaken by the KF-21 Combined Test Team (CTT) comprising KAI, the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF), and the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
The KAI spokesperson said that by June the CTT will be operating six flyable KF-21 prototypes and two structural prototypes for assessments. Of the six flyable aircraft, four are single-seat and two are twin-seat platforms.
