KF-21
KAI-built South Korean fighter; first production jet delivered to the air force September 2026.
South Korea's arms agency barred LIG D&A from government bids for 24 months around 20 October 2026, putting its first-ranked bid for the 1.9tn won job of fitting air-to-air missiles to the KF-21 at risk.
Last refreshed: 26 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Who will arm the KF-21 now LIG is barred from Seoul's bids?
Timeline for KF-21
Seoul bars LIG D&A from bids for 2 years
Drones: Industry & DefenceBackground
South Korea's arms procurement agency, DAPA, barred LIG D&A, formerly LIG Nex1, from government bidding for 24 months around 20 October 2026 after a bribery case against an agency official. Herald Business reported that the ban puts LIG's first-ranked bid for the 1.9tn won job of fitting air-to-air missiles to the KF-21 at risk, with Hanwha Aerospace a possible winner. No court has ruled, LIG plans to seek a stay, and a first-instance verdict in the bribery case is expected in early 2027.
The KF-21 Boramae is a twin-engine fighter developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) with DAPA for the Republic of Korea Air Force. It first flew in July 2022, and DAPA said the test programme ended after about 1,600 sorties without accident. The first production aircraft was delivered on 22 September 2026 to the 156th Fighter Squadron at Yecheon, The Aviationist reported. The first Block I jets are mainly air-to-air; a multirole Block II follows.
The KF-21 is South Korea's bid for an Independent fighter industry, so the missile-integration contest decides which Korean firm arms it next.
What is the KF-21 Boramae?
Why is LIG barred from KF-21 missile work?
When did the first KF-21 enter service?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 26 October 2026. Editorial standards.