South Korean company KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries) began assembling the first flight prototype of the promising fighter KF-X. Photo of a partially assembled fuselage was published by the press service of the company.
According to the company, сборка первого летного прототипа перспективного корейского истребителя KF-X должна закончится весной 2021 of the year, на апрель того же года запланирована первая выкатка самолета. Первый полет прототипа истребителя планируется на 2022 year.
Разработка истребителя KF-X ведется совместно с Индонезией. Although it is claimed, что работы над ним стартовали в 2016 year, was first announced in 2001, and Indonesia joined the program in 2010.
Фюзеляж первого прототипа KF-X
Истребитель создается в одноместной и двухместной версиях, хотя ранее сообщалось только об одноместной. From the point of view of the aerodynamic layout, this is almost a complete “copy” American F-22, but slightly smaller. The length of the aircraft will be 16,9 m, its wing span 11,2 m, and height - 4,7 m. Планируется установить два двигателя General Electric F414. Maximum take-off weight – 25,4 tons. Speed – to 1,9 Maha. 10 hardpoints for missiles, bombs and various hanging containers. In the first version – Block 1 – no interior compartments, this aircraft will be produced until 2028 of the year. Block version 2 will go into series with 2029 of the year. stated, that the second version will not have restrictions on the range of weapons.
The development of the fighter will have to be completed by 2026 year, The South Korean Air Force plans to acquire 120 new aircraft to 2032 year. New fighters will replace the outdated F-4 Phantom II and F-5 Freedom Fighter / Tiger II.
