South Korea’s state arms procurement agency has signed a procurement contract for 100 Meteor air-to-air missiles for the forthcoming KF-21 Boramae fighter jets.
The deal was signed with MBDA last week with supply coinciding with the aircraft’s first production phase, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing a Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) official.
The KF-21’s production commenced earlier this year as an intended replacement for the Republic of Korea Air Force’s aging F-4 and F-5 fleet.
The first phase will see the production of 20 aircraft with induction expected in late 2026.
Over 130 aircraft are expected to be produced by 2032.
Meteor
Considered one of the best beyond visual range air-to-air missiles in the world, the Meteor has a range of over 200 kilometers (124 miles) and a no-escape zone of 60 kilometers (37 miles), the largest in the world of any air-to-air missile.
The ramjet-powered missile is guided by an advanced active radar seeker and is capable of engaging a wide variety of targets including agile fast jets, small drones, and cruise missiles.
It is equipped with both impact and proximity fuses and a fragmentation warhead.
Joint Development
The jet development is a joint effort of South Korea and Indonesia, with the former holding 60 percent of the program’s shares while the latter’s share is 20 percent.
The remaining 20 percent is held by private partners, including the manufacturer, KAI.
The aircraft will be developed in three blocks, with each successive block featuring greater capabilities than its predecessor.
Moreover, it is also expected to have derivatives such as electronic attack, carrier-based, and for export.
Missile Integration
KAI in 2019 signed an agreement with MBDA for the integration of the Meteor with the KF-21.
It included “integration support to KAI, transfer of know-how and manufacture of test equipment for the KF-X integration and trials campaign.”
Last year, another agreement was signed between the two companies to explore the integration of MBDA missiles on KAI platforms such as the KF-21.
The MBDA missile stable includes the Brimstone and Spear air-to-ground missiles and Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles.
Earlier this year, the aircraft was also tested with an IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile.