Military Factory
Military Pay Chart
Global Firepower
Military Industrial Complex
Second World War
Home
Military Pay Scale
Military Ranks
Small Arms
Aircraft
Land Systems
Navy
Education
Military Factory Facebook Logo
flag of South Korea

KAI KF-X 5th Generation Multirole Fighter (2020)

Authored By Staff Writer | Last Updated: 5/3/2013

The South Korean KAI KF-X 5th Generation Fighter program is being threatened by political and funding issues.

Find a School Near You
Follow Military Factory on Facebook:
Trending on Military Factory:
Recent Articles:
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
The "5th Generation Fighter" - along with the "Unmanned Aerial Vehicle" - is the current buzzword in the aviation defense industry. The 5th Generation fighter is a technological marvel, intended to surpass the capabilities of both modern 4th and 4.5th Generation mounts in wide circulation today through powerful tracking and engagement facilities, advanced avionics, high-end engine installations, agile performance, composite structures and inherent stealth features to help dominate the battlefield. To date, there is only one operational 5th Generation Fighter design in the skies - the American Lockheed F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter - though several major developments have since emerged from Russia and China. The United States is undoubtedly leading the way with their F-22 and upcoming Lockheed F-35 Lightning II in weapons testing (2012) while the Chinese Chengdu J-20 has been strategically unveiled through propaganda and the Russian Sukhoi PAK FA has seen her first flight. India is in joint development with the Russians for a local-produced version of the PAK FA and a Turkish endeavor has been announced. A Japanese 5th Generation fighter design (the Mitsubishi ATD-X) is advancing. Conversely, a South Korean imitative - noted as the "KF-X" program - is facing tough issues in both the political and the economic realms.

The Korean War (1950-1953) cost the lives of tens of thousands of military and civilian personnel, becoming one of the major battlegrounds of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States (ahead of the Vietnam War). Prior to the war, and after World War 2 and the fall of the Japanese Empire, the Korean Peninsula was divided between a communist northern sphere and a democratic southern sphere. With Stalin's blessing, the North moved in to invade the South and the UN responded in force over the three-year conflict that saw the advent of the jet fighter and jet-versus-jet duels that eventually incorporated Soviet-versus-American pilots. The war ended with a loose armistice and tensions have been high and low ever since.

With that said, the South Korean government has worked well over the decades to field a capable and modern fighting force to counter the size and strength of the North. Outnumbered in most respects, the South manages through the latest technology and modern tactics, hoping to employ its military might (aided largely by the United States) to content with any endeavor the North may pursue. There is much intrigue in the region for Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia all have stakes in a stable Asia-Pacific region though all are now faced with a very public arms race.

The South Korean KF-X fighter program seeks to design, develop and produce a wholly indigenous 5th Generation Fighter of the multirole type to create an imbalance of the playing field against the North. The North fields a collection of Soviet/Russian aircraft with a portion of its fleet dating back to the Cold War years. An indigenous initiative would seemingly provide the South Koreans with complete autonomy in the future aerial defense of their country and allow the option to export the system to interested allied parties for self-economical gain. However, indigenous 5th Generation Fighter programs are costly beasts and consume much research and development effort as they do time to implement in full (as proven by the bloated Lockheed F-35 program which initially promised several financial and logistical benefits). Despite the inherent benefits of such a program, there are obvious drawbacks to threaten the future of the KF-X. To date, several configurations have been studied with no clear concrete direction established as the future of the program remains in doubt. The South Korean Air Force may very well be forced to settle on existing fighter mounts - most likely 4.5th Generation Types - for the near future. The front-running designs of the KF-X program - like other current 5th Generation Fighter designs appearing globally - imitate the design lines established by the Lockheed F-22 Raptor utilizing low-observable features and inherent stealth benefits.

South Korea has only been able to convince Indonesia to commit (20%) to the venture in which South Korea controls at least a 60% majority stake in the program, giving it the rights it covets for future export gain. Turkey was considering participation in the KF-X program but removed itself from contention when an equal share would not be granted - having since moved on to undertake a 5th Generation Fighter program all their own. Additionally, current South Korean technological capabilities require foreign assistance and overtures have been made to Lockheed, Saab, EADS and Boeing for help (the only true South Korean aircraft initiative remains the KAI T-50/FA-50 advanced trainer/light strike aircraft - the program being largely directed by Lockheed). The KF-X would be fielded alongside, or replace outright, the KF-16 - the South Korean version of the Lockheed F-16 "Fighting Falcon". The South Koreans intend the KF-X to fill the technological and performance void between their F-16 derivative and the more advanced F-35 Lightning II in the lightweight multirole fighter mold.

On August 2nd, 2011, a research facility related to the KF-X program opened its doors in Daejeon along the central-western portion of the country. "Concept definition" was ongoing as of this writing (2012) and KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries) became the prime contractor of the program. Samsung Techwin was selected to develop the required powerplant - though this would be based on an existing and proven foreign design to speed development. Electronics would be managed by the LIG Next concern.

Two designs, the "KF-X-101" and the "KF-X-102", are competing for the overall rights to the KF-X program. The KF-X-101 is a conventional single-engine arrangement while the KF-X-102 is a twin-engine, delta-winged configuration with forward canards. The KF-X-101 would be less expensive and less technological to develop and produce (though sport lesser capabilities as a result) while the KF-X-102 would provide the needed performance for interception and air superiority sorties required of the mount, making her more complicated and expensive to produce in the numbers required. It is expected that some 130 total aircraft would be manufactured in an initial production batch for South Korean and Indonesia, with Indonesia being granted 50 of these for their early financial involvement. Operational service year is optimistically eyed for 2020.

To date, however, there remains many hurdles in bringing the KF-X to light. There is serious doubt as to the feasibility of the South Koreans (even internally) to complete such a large-scale intensive program due to the high-level state-of-the-art technologies, production and cost involved with no perceived guarantees from the end-product. The dangers of failing the initiative, however, could set the South Korean aerial defense industry back several years in its goal in trying to outpace the North (as well as China, who is already developing two advanced fighters). It may work out that the South Korean Air Force - amidst upcoming elections and further budget meandering - settles on other foreign aircraft designs for purchase including additional F-16s, the F-35, the Saab Gripen, the Eurofighter Typhoon or the French Dassault Rafale - the latter of which was recently selected by the Indian Navy. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Picture of KAI KF-X
View All Images (1)

Specifications for the
KAI KF-X
5th Generation Multirole Fighter


Country of Origin: South Korea
Manufacturer: KAI (Korean Aerospace Industries) - South Korea
Initial Year of Service: 2020
Production: Not Available


Focus Model: KAI KF-X
Crew: 1


Length: 0.00ft (0m)
Width: 0.00ft (0.00m)
Height: 0.00ft (0.00m)
Weight (Empty): 0lbs (0kg)
Weight (MTOW): 0lbs (0kg)


Powerplant: (Presumed) 1 OR 2 x Turbofan engines.


Maximum Speed: 0mph (0kmh; 0kts)
Maximum Range: 0miles (0km)
Service Ceiling: 0ft (0m; 0.0miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 0 feet per minute (0m/min)


Hardpoints: 6
Armament Suite:
(Assumed):
1 x 20mm internal cannon

External weapons hardpoints and an internal weapons bay.


Variants:
KF-X - Program Designation

KF-X-100 - Single-engine proposal; conventional wing configuration.
KF-X-200 - Twin-engine proposal; delta-winged configuration with forward canards.


Operators:
South Korea

ALL AIRCRAFT CATEGORIES

BY DECADE:


• 1900 to 1909
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• 2020 to 2029
• VIEW ALL
• Compare Aircraft


BY TYPE:


• Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
• Attack Helicopters
• Bomber Aircraft
• Medium Bombers
• Heavy Bombers
• Close-Air Support (CAS)
• Commercial Aircraft
• Dive Bombers
• Electronic Warfare Aircraft (EWA)
• Experimental / X-Planes
• Fighter Aircraft
• Floatplane Aircraft
• Flying Boat Aircraft
• Aerial Refueling Tankers
• Helicopters (ALL)
• Interceptor Aircraft
• Multi-Role Aircraft
• Navy Carrier Aircraft
• Night Fighters
• Reconnaissance / Scout
• Search & Rescue (SAR)
• Scout Helicopters
• Special Purpose
• Torpedo Bombers
• Trainer Aircraft
• Transport Aircraft
• Transport Helicopters
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
• Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles (UCAVs)


COLLECTIONS:


• 4th Generation Fighter Aircraft
• 5th Generation Fighter Aircraft
• US X-Planes
• Classic US Warbirds
• French Military Helicopters
• Grumman "Cats"
• Howard Hughes Aircraft
• Indian Air Force
• Israeli Air Force
• Libyan Aircraft
• Modern Chinese Aircraft
• Modern Chinese Fighters
• Modern Military Aircraft
• Modern North Korean Aircraft
• Modern Trainer Aircraft
• Modern US Aircraft
• Mikoyan Aircraft
• Sukhoi Aircraft
• Syrian Aircraft
• Top 10 Fighter Aircraft of All Time


AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT:


• Arab-Israeli War (1948)
• Cuban Missile Crisis (1959-1962)
• Falklands War (1982)
• Indo-Pak War (1965, 1971)
• Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)
• Lebanon War (1982)
• Operation Allied Force (1999)
• Operation Desert Storm (1991)
• Six Day War (1967)
• Spanish Civil War (1936)
• Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989)
• Yom Kippur War (1973)


MISCELLANEOUS:


• Aircraft Cockpits
• Aircraft Manufacturers List
• Aircraft Production
• Aircraft Timeline

WORLD WAR 2:


• 1939 Aircraft
• 1940 Aircraft
• 1941 Aircraft
• 1942 Aircraft
• 1943 Aircraft
• 1944 Aircraft
• 1945 Aircraft
• 1946 Aircraft
• Australian Aircraft
• Battle of Britain Aircraft
• Bombers
• Four-Engine Bombers
• British Aircraft
• British Bombers
• British Transports
• Dive Bombers
• Canadian Aircraft
• Fighters
• Chinese Aircraft
• French Aircraft
• German Aircraft
• German Fighters
• German Flying Boats
• German Jets
• Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe
• Italian Aircraft
• Imperial Japanese Aircraft
• Imperial Japanese Fighters
• Mitsubishi Bombers
• Navy Aircraft
• Pearl Harbor
• Polish Aircraft
• Romanian Aircraft
• US Aircraft
• US Bombers
• US Navy Aircraft
• Soviet Aircraft
• Torpedo Bombers
• Trainer Aircraft
• Transport Aircraft
• Tuskegee Airmen Aircraft
• W.A.S.P. Aircraft
• WW2 Aircraft Ranked by Speed
• VIEW ALL


WORLD WAR 1:


• 1914 Aircraft
• 1915 Aircraft
• 1916 Aircraft
• 1917 Aircraft
• 1918 Aircraft
• Aircraft Timeline
• Austro-Hungarian Aircraft
• Bomber Aircraft
• British Aircraft
• Fighters
• Flying Boats
• French Aircraft
• Imperial German Aircraft
• Italian Aircraft
• Scout Aircraft
• Russian Empire Aircraft
• US Aircraft
• WW1 Aircraft Ranked by Speed
• VIEW ALL


KOREAN WAR:


• Australian Aircraft
• Korean War Aces
• Korean War Jets
• North Korean Aircraft
• US Military Aircraft
• VIEW ALL


VIETNAM WAR:


• Helicopters (ALL)
• Transport Helicopters
• North Vietnam Air Force
• US Airpower
• VIEW ALL


COLD WAR:


• 1950s French Aircraft
• British V-Bombers
• Cold War Bombers
• Soviet Aircraft
• Soviet Bombers
• Soviet Interceptors
• Soviet Helicopters
• Strategic Air Command
• US Aircraft
• US Bombers
• US Interceptors
• VIEW ALL
Site Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Site Map | MF Origins


©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.


Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories


Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.


eXTReMe Tracker