Korean fighter jet KF21 succeeds in first supersonic flight, gas stability confirmed = Korea

The first domestic supersonic fighter KF-21 "Borame" No.1 succeeded in the first supersonic flight on January 17th. It has been six months since the first successful flight of the first aircraft in July 2022.

According to the Defense Acquisition Agency (DAPA) that day, a flight test conducted by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) flew at an altitude of about 40,000 feet and exceeded Mach 1.0 (about 1,224 km/h) for the first time.

Since its first flight last year, the KF-21 has expanded its flight range, including altitude and speed, through 80 flights. "Through this supersonic flight, we have confirmed that the KF21 possesses structural stability in the sonic range" said the Defense Acquisition Agency.

In particular, the success of this supersonic flight is the first successful example of an aircraft with a unique shape developed with domestic technology.

Regarding the success of this supersonic flight, Minister of National Defense Lee Jung-seop said, "Thanks to the dedication and hard work of many people, we finally have the first supersonic aircraft developed with domestic technology, which is a historic achievement. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have worked so far, including officials from the Air Force and the Defense Business Administration, the development team of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), and test flight pilots."