South Korea Unveils New Line Of Elite Super Sonic Jet Fighters

South Korea’s president said a ‘new era of independent defense has begun’ as the country unveiled its own supersonic jet fighters. 

Nicknamed Boramae, or ‘young hawk trained for hunting,’ the KF-21 jet was revealed today, April 9, at the production plant of Korea Aerospace Industries in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang province.

Following the unveiling, the country is expected to produce six prototypes for testing and development, the first three of which are set to be completed by the end of this year, followed by the next three in the first half of 2022.

The supersonic planes are set to be armed with a range of air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles and will come in either single or two-seater versions, depending on which missions they are used for. The jets could even carry air-launched cruise missiles once operational.

Speaking at the unveiling, the president said: ‘A new era of independent defense has begun, and it’s a historic milestone in the development of the [South Korean] aviation industry.’

It is hoped the creation of the KF-21 will lead to a $5.2 billion program that will make South Korea a top export driver and jobs creator. Moon stated that as many as 100,000 additional jobs will be created when full-scale mass production on the planes begins.

In a statement to CNN, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration noted that the KF-21 ‘is the first fighter aircraft made with domestic technology, and it indicates that South Korea is now able to build fighter aircraft [on] its own.’

The group added: ‘It will also be a stepping stone to develop better fighter aircraft and operate locally developed arms.’

The supersonic jet is expected to replace South Korea’s existing F-4 and F-5 fighters; third-generation US-designed jets that were first introduced in the 1960s.