KAI KF-21 Boramae (KFX Korean Indigenous Fighter program)

Umigami said:
Rafale has less string attach (much less ITAR components for example). We can operate them much more freely.
Click to expand...
Very true. But conversely, KF-21 is supposed to be the plane that could continue using American armaments after F-16s eventually retires, although those planes have plenty of time before they would.

Having no strings attached usually comes at a cost, since French/European armaments are - generally speaking - more expensive due to the different economies of scale, although one could also argue some of them are more expensive because they are also more capable, eg. Meteor.

Anyways, for a non-aligned country like Indonesia, it makes ton of sense to have an ITAR-free option, especially if there already is a history of sanction against it.
 
By the way, the designation of the radar has been revealed as APY-16K. Have no idea why they went with a Y instead of the usual G, but anyways. Maybe it was because they wanted to use 16, but since it has long been taken on the APG prefix, they've chosen APY instead? I'm not sure if that even makes sense, but I can't really think of any other reason. For example, Korean ECM pods like the ALQ-88K or -200K or AAQ-333 FLIR also doesn't overlap with American designations.

Anyways, seems like it's another case of butchering designation system definitions/creating ambiguity.
 
Umigami said:
When will Block 3 available to international market?
If Korean can't deliver it fast, China will dominate that "5th gen for non US allies / partners" with J35A for sure.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure in which markets they would compete in..
buying a J-35 doesn't just mean you're buying a stealthy plane, but it means buying into the China's sphere of influence too.
A majority of the current operators of the J-7, J-10 and FC-1 are countries that are unlikely to buy Korean or American in the first place.

I think the J-35 threatens Russian markets instead, for example, say Serbia.
 
helmutkohl said:
I'm not sure in which markets they would compete in..
buying a J-35 doesn't just mean you're buying a stealthy plane, but it means buying into the China's sphere of influence too.
A majority of the current operators of the J-7, J-10 and FC-1 are countries that are unlikely to buy Korean or American in the first place.

I think the J-35 threatens Russian markets instead, for example, say Serbia.
Click to expand...
I think those rich arab countries will be interested in J35A if they still can't get their hands on F35.

The only one that can compete here is stealth Boramae in my opinion
 
Boramae can't truly compete, because it shares the same problem as F-35 - US IP. And US can block sells for the same reason it blocks F-35.
China provides entirely independent logistic and political chain, unlike KF-21.
 
Anduriel said:
Boramae can't truly compete, because it shares the same problem as F-35 - US IP. And US can block sells for the same reason it blocks F-35.
China provides entirely independent logistic and political chain, unlike KF-21.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but Boramae is less capable and less stealthy (even for block 3) than F35 which could make US less strict on its sale.

Actually US could "promote" Boramae as a way to compete with J35 on market and minimize Chinese influence.
 
Anduriel said:
Boramae can't truly compete, because it shares the same problem as F-35 - US IP. And US can block sells for the same reason it blocks F-35.
China provides entirely independent logistic and political chain, unlike KF-21.
Click to expand...
Difference being "only" F414s instead of top line F135 and the baked-in RAM+antennas.

There's probably a much lower threshold for the US to allow selling some F414s than buying an entire F35.
 
Umigami said:
Yeah, but Boramae is less capable and less stealthy (even for block 3) than F35 which could make US less strict on its sale.

Actually US could "promote" Boramae as a way to compete with J35 on market and minimize Chinese influence.
Click to expand...
I guess it's the same as with f-35 itself - countries that seriously consider j-35, will buy it because it's Chinese.

It's possible to fight Russia on export markets (Korea+CAATSA as a cheaper, but American-aligned alternative to France), but Chinese geopolitical package, there where it's accepted, is just beyond KF-21's league.
 
Anduriel said:
Boramae can't truly compete, because it shares the same problem as F-35 - US IP. And US can block sells for the same reason it blocks F-35.
China provides entirely independent logistic and political chain, unlike KF-21.
Click to expand...
Boramae could succeed in markets where the US won't sell the F-35, but would still prefer that customer stays in the "western" sphere of military acquisition.

This includes Thailand, Malaysia, Qatar, etc.
 
FighterJock said:
I could also see sales in other Middle East countries and quite possibly Africa if KAI can get the indigenous engines ready instead of relying on the General Electric's.
Click to expand...
Keep in mind that there are many other export-controlled Western LRUs besides the engine, such as AMAD, EVMU, ARR, ejection seat, landing gears, MEL, BRU, Oxy, ECS, CSA, integrated weapons, etc
 
So it would need a total redesign to an Internationalised variant of the Boramae removing the banned systems if KAI really want to export it elsewhere other than the usual suspect countrys.
 
FighterJock said:
So it would need a total redesign to an Internationalised variant of the Boramae removing the banned systems if KAI really want to export it elsewhere other than the usual suspect countrys.
Click to expand...

Even if possible, replacing and integrating export-controlled equipments with export-free equipments would reduce price competitiveness compared to other competing fighter jets.
 
It's outright not possible, nor Korea is France. It doesn't make sense to even bother - by default Kore option is still going to be an US-aligned version.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

Please donate to support the forum.

Back
Top Bottom