KF-21 two-seat version succeeds in test flight

By Nam Hyun-woo

A two-seat version of Korea's domestically developed KF-21 fighter jet completed its first test flight successfully, the state arms procurement agency said, Monday. The success came seven months after the first prototype of the single-seat 4.5-generation fighter jet had a successful test flight.

This combined photo shows the third prototype of the single-seat KF-21 fighter jet, top, and the fourth two-seat prototype. Courtesy of Defense Acquisition Program Administration

According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the fourth KF-21 prototype took off at the Third Flying Training Wing of the Republic of Korea Air Force in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, at 11:19 a.m., and flew 34 minutes.

There are six prototypes of the KF-21, and all three prototypes tested earlier were single-seaters. Unlike them, the two-seat variant will be used mainly for training new pilots. DAPA said only one pilot flew the two-seater prototype alone during Monday's test, as the flight was intended to test stability.

Until July 2026, the fourth prototype will conduct test flights to verify the different aerodynamics between single-seat and two-seat variants, as well as confirm the capability of its active electronically scanned array radar.

DAPA plans to conduct test flights of the fifth and sixth prototypes within the first half of this year.

Since the first prototype succeeded in its first test flight last July, three prototypes of the aircraft, manufactured by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), have flown over 80 times. Last month, the first prototype broke the sound barrier for the first time.