The government's decision to delay the full deployment of the KF-21 "Boramae," Korea's homegrown supersonic fighter jet, by about four years stems not from the massive budget required but from a request that the Air Force yield delivery volumes to boost overseas sales of Korean defense products, according to sources.
Based on reporting by Seoul Economic Daily on Tuesday, Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) Commissioner Lee Yong-chul recently visited Air Force Headquarters at Gyeryongdae and met with Air Force Chief of Staff Son Seok-rak, conveying the view that the delivery completion date for the KF-21 should be pushed back four years from 2032 to 2036.
Lee reportedly pressed for the delay by citing that the KF-21 program alone consumes about 35% of the defense capability improvement budget, and that this massive outlay could disrupt the schedules of other military deployment projects, making it necessary to postpone the completion of deployment by four years from the original timeline.
Lee is also said to have unilaterally notified the Air Force that a portion of the delivery volume delayed due to budget issues would be used for overseas exports. DAPA is pursuing exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in addition to Indonesia, which is a co-development partner.
The UAE has shown strong interest in the KF-21, with the commander of its Air Force and Air Defense and its vice defense minister visiting Korea in April and August last year, respectively, and even boarding a KF-21 prototype. Discussions are also underway on UAE's joint participation in the Block-III development.
The Air Force has taken a negative stance toward DAPA's delivery delay notification, calling it desk-bound administration that disregards airspace defense. The Air Force judges that a significant delay in deployment will inevitably disrupt the overall plan to modernize its air power.
"A Unilateral Move Ignoring the Air Force Responsible for Airspace Defense"
The Air Force is open to accepting the delivery delay request for reasons of budget constraints or K-defense exports. However, it is reportedly displeased that DAPA's unilateral notification, rather than consultation, disregards the service that will use the KF-21 most extensively and bear responsibility for airspace defense.
"DAPA has not even finalized an export contract with the UAE, yet it is demanding that the Air Force make unconditional concessions under the banner of K-defense exports," a military source said. "From the Air Force's perspective, the disruption to deployment is one issue, but the unilateral demand that ignores proper procedures is what causes displeasure."
For the Air Force to delay KF-21 deployment by about four years, mandatory procedures must be followed, including a resolution by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), which oversees decisions on military capability requirements. JCS Chairman Jin Young-seung, who met with Lee, reportedly conveyed the position that both sides should consult and adjust the requirement decision.
A DAPA official said, "From the Block-II program onward, the massive financial outlay leaves no choice but to adjust the delivery schedule of the KF-21. We are seeking to use the volume freed up by the delayed deployment for K-defense exports, and we hope the Air Force will understand this from a broader perspective."
The official added, "This also lays the groundwork for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the defense industry, building on last year's Korea-UAE summit."
According to DAPA, starting in 2029 when the KF-21 Block-II (air-to-surface armament) program begins, about 7 trillion won ($5.1 billion) per year will need to be invested. Including the cost of procuring the weapons to be mounted, the figure could reach around 9 trillion won annually. The annual budget for defense capability improvement is about 20 trillion won.
