Breaking News | South Korea officially enters the race for sixth-generation fighter jets to reshape the future of air supremacy
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As reported by 笑脸男人 on April 29, 2025, the South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace released a promotional video featuring a conceptual animation of a sixth-generation fighter jet, signaling South Korea’s intention to enter the sixth-generation fighter development race. Hanwha Aerospace plans to base the engine of this future aircraft on Korean domestically developed gas turbine engines currently being prepared for the KF-21 Block 3 fighter. The company stated that aerospace technologies, particularly aircraft engines, are seen as the future growth engines of Hanwha. Emphasis was placed on their work with global engine research and development networks, and their goal to continue strengthening technical expertise by producing engines for both manned and unmanned aircraft, following the development of AESA radar and engines for the KF-21. The video did not reveal specific technical details about the sixth-generation fighter but highlighted Hanwha’s strategy to build on existing KF-21 advancements.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The aircraft is equipped with twin engines featuring thrust-vectoring nozzles and partially shrouded exhausts, which may suggest an effort to reduce infrared signatures and support high-performance flight characteristics such as supercruise. (Picture source: Hanwha Aerospace)
When closely analyzed, this concept seems to show a tailless delta-wing configuration with no vertical stabilizers, indicating a design focused on reducing radar cross-section. The fuselage is integrated with the wing structure, which is a characteristic of airframes developed to minimize radar observability. The aircraft is equipped with twin engines featuring thrust-vectoring nozzles and partially shrouded exhausts, which may suggest an effort to reduce infrared signatures and support high-performance flight characteristics such as supercruise. No external hardpoints or weapons are visible, which may indicate that weapons would be carried internally. A cockpit is included in the design, showing that the platform is intended to be manned or optionally manned, which corresponds to current sixth-generation development directions involving flexibility for autonomous or piloted missions. Although external sensors are not visible, sixth-generation designs typically include 360-degree sensor coverage, onboard artificial intelligence for threat analysis and decision support, and network connectivity for integration in multi-domain operations.
South Korea has been steadily researching a range of technologies critical for sixth-generation fighter jets, alongside the development of the KF-21 Boramae, categorized as a 4.5-generation fighter. These include internal weapons bay integration, development of unmanned aircraft linkage systems (KUS-X), manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), laser weaponry, and artificial intelligence technologies for tactical situation awareness and mission optimization among multiple UAVs. In September 2020, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) conducted a laser weapon power demonstration at the Anheung Test Site in Taean, where a 20 kW laser successfully penetrated a steel target made from materials similar to those used in North Korean missiles and drones. In 2021, ADD announced plans to research autonomy technologies to reduce the pilot’s mission burden in manned-unmanned operations, and the Air Force Headquarters initiated a study on the mission effectiveness of manned-unmanned combat mission aircraft composite systems.
Korean research efforts aim to incorporate AI technologies capable of recognizing tactical environments, distributing tasks to UAVs, and enabling advanced autonomy to reduce pilot workload, thereby optimizing combat performance in real-time. By 2035, artificial intelligence integrated into fighter jets is expected to suggest evasive maneuvers based on distance, speed, and direction. After 2045, projections indicate that fully autonomous drones, guided by AI with the cognitive capacity of 1,000 humans, could operate independently in combat. This would include autonomous navigation without GPS and AI-driven tactical awareness. Further research aims to create swarm drone control systems and reduce human pilot workload through AI-managed mission coordination.
Hanwha Aerospace plans to base the engine of this future aircraft on Korean domestically developed gas turbine engines currently being prepared for the KF-21 Block 3 fighter. (Picture source: Hanwha Aerospace)
According to available information, South Korea’s future fighter concept could incorporate a wide range of expected sixth-generation technologies. These include the integration of AI to assist pilots in decision-making, full AI-based control of UAVs, high-capacity network-centric operations, laser weapon systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles during their boost phase, and operational speeds up to Mach 6, allowing coverage of the Korean Peninsula within approximately seven minutes. Laser weapons for sixth-generation fighters are expected to enable the immediate destruction of targets, with no ballistic calculations necessary due to the straight-line travel of light. For instance, the laser system demonstrated in 2020 was capable of precise strikes on small targets several kilometers away.
Interestingly, according to information published by South Korean media in 2024, South Korean defense officials reportedly began discussions with Saudi Arabia regarding the joint development of a sixth-generation fighter based on the KF-21 platform. The South Korean proposal highlighted the advantage of utilizing the existing KF-21 program to reduce development timelines. The project would involve Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) advancing the KF-21 Block 3 into a fifth-generation fighter and building toward a sixth-generation MUM-T system, incorporating stealth UAVs such as Gaori-X1 and AI-based combat control systems. Saudi Arabia’s participation was sought after its unsuccessful attempts to join the GCAP program led by the UK, Italy, and Japan. Negotiations with Saudi defense officials, including Khaled bin Hussein Al-Biyari, indicated a positive initial response.
In support of AI integration, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed an agreement on March 20, 2025, with the U.S.-based company Shield AI. The partnership aims to integrate Shield AI’s Hivemind Enterprise AI autonomy system into KAI’s future aerial platforms. Shield AI’s system enables autonomous operations in GPS-denied and communications-contested environments and supports mission planning, navigation, and real-time target identification. KAI intends to incorporate Shield AI’s Hivemind into the K-AILOT AI pilot system, which will be applied to KAI’s multipurpose unmanned aerial platform (AAP) currently under development. Korean engineers are scheduled to receive training at Shield AI’s headquarters in San Diego in April 2025 to expedite integration. Shield AI’s experience includes successful autonomous operations with platforms such as the F-16 VISTA, GA-ASI Avenger, and V-BAT drones.
Globally, sixth-generation fighter concepts emphasize key characteristics, such as advanced stealth through tailless or novel aerodynamic designs, artificial intelligence integration for decision support, and optionally piloted operation. (Picture source: Twitter/General David Allvin)
South Korea’s sixth-generation fighter program will thus draw from multiple streams: Hanwha’s engine development based on the KF-21’s foundations, the Air Force’s growing emphasis on manned-unmanned teaming and AI, the Defense Science Research Institute’s work on UAV autonomy and laser weapon technology, and potential partnerships abroad, notably with the United States. As other global powers also push their projects forward, South Korea’s efforts suggest an intention not only to field an indigenous sixth-generation fighter but also to position itself as a competitive player in the next era of air combat innovation, as is currently the case for tanks (K2 Black Panther), self-propelled howitzers (K9 Thunder), and light attack aircraft (FA-50).
Globally, sixth-generation fighter concepts emphasize key characteristics: advanced stealth through tailless or novel aerodynamic designs, artificial intelligence integration for decision support, laser and directed-energy weapons, enhanced networking and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) capabilities, optionally piloted operation, high-speed and extended-range capabilities, electronic warfare systems with integrated AESA radars and IR sensors, and comprehensive cyber resilience. These aircraft are designed not only as standalone fighters but also as network nodes in a broader system-of-systems architecture, combining manned and unmanned assets, space-based platforms, and ground-based systems to achieve superior situational awareness and operational effectiveness.
The broader strategic environment reflects that other nations are also pursuing sixth-generation projects. The United States is advancing the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, with Boeing’s F-47 selected for future U.S. Air Force needs, while the U.S. Navy continues with its F/A-XX program. France, Germany, and Spain are developing the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan are collaborating under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) on the Tempest project, targeting a first flight by 2025. Russia’s Mikoyan PAK-DP program envisions a hypersonic-capable interceptor, while China’s Chengdu J-36 and Shenyang J-50 prototypes reportedly completed public test flights by late 2024. Countries such as India and Sweden have also initiated sixth-generation research programs.
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As reported by 笑脸男人 on April 29, 2025, the South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace released a promotional video featuring a conceptual animation of a sixth-generation fighter jet, signaling South Korea’s intention to enter the sixth-generation fighter development race. Hanwha Aerospace plans to base the engine of this future aircraft on Korean domestically developed gas turbine engines currently being prepared for the KF-21 Block 3 fighter. The company stated that aerospace technologies, particularly aircraft engines, are seen as the future growth engines of Hanwha. Emphasis was placed on their work with global engine research and development networks, and their goal to continue strengthening technical expertise by producing engines for both manned and unmanned aircraft, following the development of AESA radar and engines for the KF-21. The video did not reveal specific technical details about the sixth-generation fighter but highlighted Hanwha’s strategy to build on existing KF-21 advancements.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The aircraft is equipped with twin engines featuring thrust-vectoring nozzles and partially shrouded exhausts, which may suggest an effort to reduce infrared signatures and support high-performance flight characteristics such as supercruise. (Picture source: Hanwha Aerospace)
When closely analyzed, this concept seems to show a tailless delta-wing configuration with no vertical stabilizers, indicating a design focused on reducing radar cross-section. The fuselage is integrated with the wing structure, which is a characteristic of airframes developed to minimize radar observability. The aircraft is equipped with twin engines featuring thrust-vectoring nozzles and partially shrouded exhausts, which may suggest an effort to reduce infrared signatures and support high-performance flight characteristics such as supercruise. No external hardpoints or weapons are visible, which may indicate that weapons would be carried internally. A cockpit is included in the design, showing that the platform is intended to be manned or optionally manned, which corresponds to current sixth-generation development directions involving flexibility for autonomous or piloted missions. Although external sensors are not visible, sixth-generation designs typically include 360-degree sensor coverage, onboard artificial intelligence for threat analysis and decision support, and network connectivity for integration in multi-domain operations.
South Korea has been steadily researching a range of technologies critical for sixth-generation fighter jets, alongside the development of the KF-21 Boramae, categorized as a 4.5-generation fighter. These include internal weapons bay integration, development of unmanned aircraft linkage systems (KUS-X), manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), laser weaponry, and artificial intelligence technologies for tactical situation awareness and mission optimization among multiple UAVs. In September 2020, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) conducted a laser weapon power demonstration at the Anheung Test Site in Taean, where a 20 kW laser successfully penetrated a steel target made from materials similar to those used in North Korean missiles and drones. In 2021, ADD announced plans to research autonomy technologies to reduce the pilot’s mission burden in manned-unmanned operations, and the Air Force Headquarters initiated a study on the mission effectiveness of manned-unmanned combat mission aircraft composite systems.
Korean research efforts aim to incorporate AI technologies capable of recognizing tactical environments, distributing tasks to UAVs, and enabling advanced autonomy to reduce pilot workload, thereby optimizing combat performance in real-time. By 2035, artificial intelligence integrated into fighter jets is expected to suggest evasive maneuvers based on distance, speed, and direction. After 2045, projections indicate that fully autonomous drones, guided by AI with the cognitive capacity of 1,000 humans, could operate independently in combat. This would include autonomous navigation without GPS and AI-driven tactical awareness. Further research aims to create swarm drone control systems and reduce human pilot workload through AI-managed mission coordination.
Hanwha Aerospace plans to base the engine of this future aircraft on Korean domestically developed gas turbine engines currently being prepared for the KF-21 Block 3 fighter. (Picture source: Hanwha Aerospace)
According to available information, South Korea’s future fighter concept could incorporate a wide range of expected sixth-generation technologies. These include the integration of AI to assist pilots in decision-making, full AI-based control of UAVs, high-capacity network-centric operations, laser weapon systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles during their boost phase, and operational speeds up to Mach 6, allowing coverage of the Korean Peninsula within approximately seven minutes. Laser weapons for sixth-generation fighters are expected to enable the immediate destruction of targets, with no ballistic calculations necessary due to the straight-line travel of light. For instance, the laser system demonstrated in 2020 was capable of precise strikes on small targets several kilometers away.
Interestingly, according to information published by South Korean media in 2024, South Korean defense officials reportedly began discussions with Saudi Arabia regarding the joint development of a sixth-generation fighter based on the KF-21 platform. The South Korean proposal highlighted the advantage of utilizing the existing KF-21 program to reduce development timelines. The project would involve Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) advancing the KF-21 Block 3 into a fifth-generation fighter and building toward a sixth-generation MUM-T system, incorporating stealth UAVs such as Gaori-X1 and AI-based combat control systems. Saudi Arabia’s participation was sought after its unsuccessful attempts to join the GCAP program led by the UK, Italy, and Japan. Negotiations with Saudi defense officials, including Khaled bin Hussein Al-Biyari, indicated a positive initial response.
In support of AI integration, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed an agreement on March 20, 2025, with the U.S.-based company Shield AI. The partnership aims to integrate Shield AI’s Hivemind Enterprise AI autonomy system into KAI’s future aerial platforms. Shield AI’s system enables autonomous operations in GPS-denied and communications-contested environments and supports mission planning, navigation, and real-time target identification. KAI intends to incorporate Shield AI’s Hivemind into the K-AILOT AI pilot system, which will be applied to KAI’s multipurpose unmanned aerial platform (AAP) currently under development. Korean engineers are scheduled to receive training at Shield AI’s headquarters in San Diego in April 2025 to expedite integration. Shield AI’s experience includes successful autonomous operations with platforms such as the F-16 VISTA, GA-ASI Avenger, and V-BAT drones.
Globally, sixth-generation fighter concepts emphasize key characteristics, such as advanced stealth through tailless or novel aerodynamic designs, artificial intelligence integration for decision support, and optionally piloted operation. (Picture source: Twitter/General David Allvin)
South Korea’s sixth-generation fighter program will thus draw from multiple streams: Hanwha’s engine development based on the KF-21’s foundations, the Air Force’s growing emphasis on manned-unmanned teaming and AI, the Defense Science Research Institute’s work on UAV autonomy and laser weapon technology, and potential partnerships abroad, notably with the United States. As other global powers also push their projects forward, South Korea’s efforts suggest an intention not only to field an indigenous sixth-generation fighter but also to position itself as a competitive player in the next era of air combat innovation, as is currently the case for tanks (K2 Black Panther), self-propelled howitzers (K9 Thunder), and light attack aircraft (FA-50).
Globally, sixth-generation fighter concepts emphasize key characteristics: advanced stealth through tailless or novel aerodynamic designs, artificial intelligence integration for decision support, laser and directed-energy weapons, enhanced networking and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) capabilities, optionally piloted operation, high-speed and extended-range capabilities, electronic warfare systems with integrated AESA radars and IR sensors, and comprehensive cyber resilience. These aircraft are designed not only as standalone fighters but also as network nodes in a broader system-of-systems architecture, combining manned and unmanned assets, space-based platforms, and ground-based systems to achieve superior situational awareness and operational effectiveness.
The broader strategic environment reflects that other nations are also pursuing sixth-generation projects. The United States is advancing the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, with Boeing’s F-47 selected for future U.S. Air Force needs, while the U.S. Navy continues with its F/A-XX program. France, Germany, and Spain are developing the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan are collaborating under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) on the Tempest project, targeting a first flight by 2025. Russia’s Mikoyan PAK-DP program envisions a hypersonic-capable interceptor, while China’s Chengdu J-36 and Shenyang J-50 prototypes reportedly completed public test flights by late 2024. Countries such as India and Sweden have also initiated sixth-generation research programs.
