KAI Eyes Follow-On KF-21 Order from Seoul as Indonesia Talks Continue

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) says it remains on track to deliver eight KF-21 fighters to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) by the end of 2026, and expects Seoul to place a follow-on order for around 80 more of the jets once the first production batch is complete.

Dong Haik Shin, KAI's vice-president of international business development, said the first two production aircraft are currently undergoing verification flights and are on schedule to be handed over to the ROKAF in October, following acceptance flights planned for September. Speaking on the sidelines of the Farnborough air show, Dong noted that the milestone follows the KF-21's initial type certification, awarded just weeks earlier.

So far, KAI has secured orders for 40 KF-21s under the programme's first phase, known as Block 1, which are optimized primarily for air-to-air combat. According to Dong, the effort is progressing smoothly, and the company expects the ROKAF to commit to a second batch of about 80 jets, designated Block 2, which will add a fuller ground-attack capability to the twin-engine fighter.

The briefing also touched on Indonesia, the programme's junior partner, whose participation has at times been clouded by disputes over cost-sharing and past espionage allegations. Relations were largely repaired in 2025, though questions have persisted over Jakarta's commitment given its expanding fleet of French Rafale jets and a separate order for 48 Turkish-made KAAN fighters.

Dong confirmed that Indonesia has paid its share of KF-21 development costs and said discussions are underway over an initial batch of 16 aircraft, with total Indonesian orders potentially reaching 48 jets. Should a deal be finalized, the aircraft would be built by KAI in South Korea, though Indonesia would retain some industrial participation rather than the locally assembled IF-X variant originally envisioned under early plans.

KAI's ties with Indonesia extend beyond the fighter programme. Jakarta recently took delivery of six additional T-50i advanced jet trainers, bringing its fleet to 22 aircraft, and also operates 20 KAI-built KT-1 basic trainers.