The KF-21 has advanced active electronically scanning phased-array radar and an innovative infrared targeting system.

It is common knowledge that North Korea stores its massive arsenal of artillery in underground shelters and fortified positions. Cities in the South are within the range of 6,000 artillery systems. As a result, South Korea requires a weapon capable of striking such installations. The newest Republic of Korea (ROK) air force fighter is equipped to launch a bunker-busting munition. A new high-impact air-launched cruise missile is being developed for the Republic of Korea’s indigenously produced KF-21 warplane, which will be able to send a message to the North in the event of a conflict on the Korean peninsula.
The ROK armed forces are also worried about the hidden nuclear testing facilities in the North. The brand new cruise missile might pose a danger to those facilities. The KF-21, also produced by Korea Aerospace Industries and dubbed the “Boramae” or “Fighting Hawk,” is an excellent candidate for the cruise missile. The new missile program is expected to be completed by 2028, and South Korea has already allocated $145 million.
The new missile is completely different from any other weapon the ROK possesses. The 310-mile range is more than sufficient. At such ranges, most North Korean targets would be within reach. The KF-21 could carry its lethal arsenal without ever leaving South Korean airspace. Before 2021, F-4E Phantom IIs from the ROK Air Force tested the air-launched cruise missile in 2019.
However, the KF-21 is brand new. South Koreans are optimistic about the future of this aircraft, which made its maiden flight in July. With the new air-launched cruise missile, this aircraft will become an indispensable platform for the Republic of Korea Air Force’s offensive capabilities. The plan calls for forty new fighters for South Korea in 2026 and 120 KF-21s by 2032is aircraft, which made its maiden flight in July. With the new air-launched cruise missile, this aircraft will become an indispensable platform for the Republic of Korea Air Force’s offensive capabilities. The plan calls for forty new fighters for South Korea in 2026 and 120 KF-21s by 2032. It’ll set you back about $60 million to buy one of these fighters.
The KF-21 has advanced active electronically scanning phased-array radar and an innovative infrared targeting system. That will give it sensors that are better than those on any other North Korean fighter jet. The subsequent models will be more covert.
Currently, the KF-21 stores its weapons outside, but internal weapons bays are in the works.
The Cheonryong, which translates to “Sky Dragon,” is a brand-new cruise missile designed to destroy fortified structures. That is the first weapon system developed in South Korea specifically for use on the KF-21. The Boromae can launch small-diameter bombs and the Joint Direct Attack Munitions System (JDAMS).
If South Korea believed war was imminent, it could use its new cruise missile to launch a preemptive strike against the North’s nuclear weapons facilities. That gives the ROK military confidence that it will be able to launch an earth-penetrating cruise missile from ROK airspace in about six years, allowing it to directly target Kim Jong Un’s forces.
The missile can destroy radar bases and command centers in North Korea. At the beginning of a conflict, this could make the North completely defenseless.
The defense industry in South Korea is a robust domestic sector. There are many great features on the new plane. Plus, it’s great to have an air-launched cruise missile that can hit fortified emplacements that protect artillery pieces and potentially cause damage to the North’s nuclear weapons program.
Since no formal peace treaty exists with the North and Kim Jong Un is constantly conducting ballistic missile tests, South Korea has no choice but to invest heavily in its defense industry. Engineering and design achievements like these have resulted in useful products like the KF-21 and the new cruise missile.