South Korea's KF-21 Boramae Fighter Jet Complete Successful Aerial Refueling Test

Defense News ,South Korea :-  In a significant stride for South Korea's indigenous aerospace capabilities, the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet achieved a remarkable milestone with the completion of its inaugural aerial refueling test. This accomplishment heralds a new era of enhanced combat range and operational flexibility for the advanced aircraft.

Verified by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) on Tuesday, the fifth prototype of the KF-21 conducted the test over the southeastern waters of South Korea. Departing from an airbase in Sacheon, the aircraft seamlessly linked up with a KC-330 tanker mid-flight to receive fuel, marking a pivotal moment in the aircraft's development.

DAPA underscored the significance of this achievement, highlighting that in-flight refueling capability could potentially augment the KF-21's operational range by up to 50%. This expansion translates into extended mission durations, increased weapon payloads, and heightened overall combat effectiveness for the South Korean Air Force.

The test primarily focused on assessing the KF-21's handling characteristics during aerial refueling maneuvers. Evaluation parameters included stability under turbulent conditions and the efficacy of connection and disconnection procedures with the tanker aircraft. DAPA outlined plans for extensive testing of the refueling system across diverse flight scenarios in the coming year.

Initiated in 2015 as a collaborative endeavor with Indonesia, the KF-21 program aims to modernize South Korea's air defense capabilities by replacing aging F-4 and F-5 fighter jets with a domestically manufactured, next-generation aircraft.

Despite notable progress, the project has encountered its share of challenges. Korean authorities are currently investigating allegations of technology data theft purportedly committed by Indonesian engineers involved in the program. Moreover, Indonesia's lag in meeting its financial commitments has emerged as a pressing concern. DAPA has underscored the imperative for Indonesia to fulfill its funding obligations by 2026 to sustain the project's momentum.