The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) convened the 89th Airworthiness Certification Review Committee at the Government Complex in Gwacheon on Monday. The committee deliberated on the airworthiness assessment results for the KF-21 Korean fighter jet development program, unanimously approving that it meets all airworthiness certification criteria.
The review process, which began in April 2021 and concluded this April, culminated in the committee’s final approval of the assessment outcomes. This milestone marks the KF-21’s achievement of its Initial Type Certification.
Type certification is a comprehensive government verification and certification process, mandated by the Military Aircraft Flight Safety Certification Act, to ensure that the design of newly developed aircraft complies with airworthiness standards.
This type certification is significant as it represents the government’s ultimate endorsement of the KF-21’s flight safety. While the combat-ready designation obtained in May validated the aircraft’s operational capabilities and weapons systems, this certification confirms the jet’s ability to ensure crew and aircraft safety even in extreme conditions.
The KF-21 has officially demonstrated its flight safety by meeting all 745 inspection criteria across 14 airworthiness certification domains, including aircraft structure, weapons integration, and electronic systems.
Kim Il-dong, DAPA’s Deputy Administrator, who presided over the Airworthiness Certification Review Committee, stated that its accumulated airworthiness certification expertise and experience have provided a solid foundation for objectively validating the KF-21’s flight safety. This will be crucial in building trust with potential foreign buyers during future export negotiations.
Kim added that it anticipates that this government-certified flight safety will significantly boost K-defense industry exports.
Building on this initial type certification for the KF-21, DAPA plans to conduct airworthiness certifications for each aircraft during the mass production phase. This process will ensure that production units adhere to the certified design standards.
The KF-21 program kicked off in December 2015, with the first production unit rolling out on March 25 this year. Throughout the 10-year and 6-month system development period, the program successfully completed over 13,000 test conditions and 1,601 flight tests without incident. The Republic of Korea Air Force is slated to receive the first production KF-21 before September this year.