Korea Aerospace Industries signs first mass production contract for domestically-made fighter jet ”KF-21” with Defense Acquisition Program Administration (SA) (South Korea)

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) recently announced that it has partnered with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to mass-produce the first domestically-made fighter jet, the KF-21.
The contract size is 1.96 trillion won (approximately 225.29189 billion yen), including 20 "KF-21" aircraft and support for technical training.
The domestic fighter jet (KF-X) development project is a project to develop a 4.5 generation fighter jet to replace the F-4 and F-5 fighter jets used by the South Korean Air Force.
The development took 10 years and 6 months and is scheduled to be completed in 2026. Deliveries of mass-produced aircraft are scheduled to begin at the end of that year.
Mass production is now on track nine years after development began, with development currently around 80% complete.
The KF-21 made its first flight as a prototype in July 2022.
The aircraft successfully completed aerial refueling tests, ensuring its ability to withstand long-distance operations. It also successfully launched the South Korean air-to-air missile "Meteor," and improved its altitude, speed, and maneuverability.
After initial testing and evaluation, the missile received a provisional combat suitability rating from the government in May 2023. In March of this year, the missile received approval for mass production from the Defense Program Promotion Board.