![Officials pose for a photo after completing the KF-21 development flight test program. [Photo=Defense Acquisition Program Administration]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/01/13/20260113101039167655.jpeg)
The DAPA said the fighter jet successfully underwent about 1,600 tests over the past 42 months to verify its stability and performance without a single accident, with its final flight test conducted the previous day over waters off Sacheon in South Gyeongsang Province.
The tests included aerial refueling to improve their scope and efficiency, shortening the development period by two months from the original plan.
The DAPA plans to begin delivering mass-produced KF-21s to the Air Force in the second half of this year to replace aging F-4 and F-5 fighters, which is expected to bolster airspace defense capabilities and enhance combat readiness.
Noh Ji-man, head of the DAPA, haield the KF-21 as the "culmination of the country's aviation technology," adding that it is capable of competing with advanced fighters in the global market.
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