[횡설수설/정연욱]domestic supersonic fighter

’22 vs 198.’

This is the number of fighter jets owned by South Korea and North Korea during the Korean War. North Korean fighters were nine times ours. All were real fighters supported by the Soviet Union. On the other hand, we were embarrassed to be called fighters because we were a liaison plane and a trainer plane. It was possible to reverse the unfavorable battlefield by reclaiming air supremacy through the deployment of fighters from the UN forces that participated in the war. It was a demonstrative case that air power determines victory or defeat in modern warfare. The first test flight of the KF-21 (Bora Mae), a supersonic fighter produced by South Korea, which had never had a proper fighter, succeeded on the 19th. It is a splendid achievement 72 years following the outbreak of the Korean War.

▷ Korea has become the 8th country in the world to develop a high-tech supersonic fighter. However, the development process was not smooth. In March 2001, then-President Kim Dae-jung declared the development of a domestic fighter, but from the beginning, there were many skeptical evaluations that it was “a reckless challenge.” It took nine years from the declaration of development to the conclusion of business feasibility.

▷ After the internal discussion was settled, a problem erupted from the outside. The U.S. refused to transfer four technologies, including the most important AESA (active electronically scanned phased array) radar, among the 25 core technologies that the United States agreed to provide to South Korea. It was a harsh reality, no matter how reluctant to transfer cutting-edge technology to any alliance. In the end, the government started developing its own. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Hanwha Systems, and defense companies such as LIG Nex1 and regarding 700 small and medium-sized partners joined forces.

▷ In particular, the AESA radar is a cutting-edge technology that corresponds to the ‘eye’ of a fighter. So far, only five advanced countries, including the United States, have succeeded in development. The AESA radar made with our technology is similar to the AESA radar mounted on the US F-35A fighter, and it is said to have superior performance than those made in China or Russia. It is evaluated that the KF-21 has the competitiveness to see and fire missiles first than North Korean fighters, as well as Chinese and Russian fighters. This may be the reason why China, which is aiming for hegemony in East Asia, is sensitive to the development of the KF-21.

▷The overall localization rate of KF-21 including major equipment is close to 90%. The development of the KF-21 can be seen as a symbol of self-reliant national defense. In the meantime, even if Korean missiles were developed, it was not easy to install them on fighters imported from abroad. This is because it requires strict permission from foreign manufacturers. However, the development of domestic fighters is expected to boost the development of domestic missiles. In addition, expansion of defense exports can contribute to economic revitalization such as job creation. The development of the KF-21 is the largest defense force enhancement project since Dangun, with an investment of 8.8 trillion won. The related effects of KF-21 on each sector of society are expected.

Editorial member Jeong Yeon-wook [email protected]

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