A model of the KF-21 Boramae on display at the Singapore Airshow. (Photo: Tim Martin)
The KAI KF-21 Boramae 4.5-generation fighter has attracted the attention of potential buyers from Asia-Pacific and Europe, as the manufacturer begins to ramp up preparations for the first flight of the new jet in July.
KAI has completed production of four aircraft to undergo testing as part of an engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) phase underwritten by South Korea.
The EMD will cover ground tests, flight tests, armament tests and a number of other airworthiness items, all to be held at the KAI facility in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province.
‘We expect to complete testing in less than two years and begin production
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The company has tested over 15 mission sets for the drone, with the rotorcraft used to demonstrate the viability of armed forces utilising large uncrewed aerial systems’ (UAS) for autonomous missions in the future.
The US Navy’s answer to a sixth-generation fighter has experienced a range of setbacks and delays to the programme, with only $47 million in this latest proposed budget set aside for completing the aircraft.
The UAE’s Edge Group has been positioning itself as a key defence and technology partner to Indonesia, where it has been focusing on naval platforms, UAVs and long-term industrial collaboration.
With roughly 80% of combat missions flown by Typhoons in Europe, the Eurofighter consortium is emphasising the continued relevance of its jet and wants to ramp up production to continue to deliver combat mass in light of a shifting geo-political world order.
In the past 18 months, Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat uncrewed aerial system (UAS) has achieved several milestones including teaming with manned aircraft, achieving 100 flight hours and training of first military pilot.
The order for two more aircraft for the NATO Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) fleet comes as Airbus considers increasing A330 MRTT production to meet demand.
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