Korea Aerospace Industries launch final assembly of KF-X fighter prototype.

According to a press release published on September 3, 2020, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd.(KAI) announced that the final assembly of the KF-X advanced multirole fighter prototype is now launched from 1st September. Final assembly means to put forward/middle/rear fuselage and main wing/empennage together into one whole final aircraft.

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Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd.(KAI) announced that the final assembly of the KF-X advanced multirole fighter prototype is now launched. (Picture source KAI)

This achievement is accomplished only in 4 years. KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries) started system development from December 2015 went through PDR(Preliminary Design Review) in 2018, began the first detail part machining in February 2019, and passed the CDR(Critical Design Review) on September 2019.

KAI has fully committed to maximizing its development efficiency not only through recruiting around 800 development engineers, but also expanding infrastructure with newly built plants only dedicated to each structure test, system test, and composite machining.£

KF-X advanced multirole fighter is one of the most important national projects to replace current air force fighters and to introduce the next generation fighter that can satisfy the future operation concept of force battlefield. Also, KAI is under localization of the major avionics part for product improvement by domestic technology. Mission and flight control computer, equivalent to its brain, will be installed to KF-X for ground test and test flight after the performance test this year.

In addition, the core equipment AESA radar and EW Suite(Integrated Electronic Warfare Equipment), IRST(infrared search and track) and EO TGP(electro optical targeting pod) are Verify performance through functional check and ground test.

KF-X will be completed by the first half-year of 2021 and the first flight test is scheduled to be done in 2022. By 2026, system development is ended. For deeper study and efficient development, 16 of universities, 11 of laboratories and 553 of suppliers have participated in KF-X project and 100 of additional development engineers will be hired by 2020.