South Korea Develops Hypersonic Missile to Elevate KF-21 Fighter’s Strategic Role
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On August 12, 2025, according to publicly released information and as reported on X by @mason_8718, South Korea confirmed the development of an air-launched hypersonic ballistic missile intended for the KF-21 fighter. The program is based on the Korean Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile (KTSSM) family and envisions a configuration allowing two weapons to be carried per aircraft. The concept is similar to the Israeli Air LORA and ROCKS systems, as well as the American Mako project, all of which are designed to provide long-range strike capability while penetrating advanced air defense systems.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Designed for the KF-21 and potentially the FA-50, the missile can strike strategic or heavily defended targets from 400 to 1,000 kilometers away at speeds of Mach 5 to Mach 10, following a quasi-ballistic path to complicate interception. (Picture source: Republic of Korea Air Force)
The objective is to equip the KF-21, and potentially the FA-50, with a means of striking strategic or heavily defended targets while limiting the exposure of the launch platform. The missile is expected to have a range of 400 to 1,000 kilometers and a speed between Mach 5 and Mach 10, following a quasi-ballistic trajectory that makes interception significantly more difficult.
Development of the air-launched KTSSM-I is reportedly complete, though the operational version may be based on the more capable KTSSM-II Block-II. This variant incorporates technologies aimed at increasing warhead power, estimated at about 600 kg for the KTSSM-I, with further enhancements planned for the newer version. In parallel, another air-to-surface missile, the CTM-290, with a 220 kg warhead, is intended to complement the available weapons portfolio.
Originally designed to rapidly neutralize artillery positions, missile systems, and fortified infrastructure in North Korea, the KTSSM, nicknamed “Ure”, is built on an architecture that could theoretically accommodate other warhead types. While currently limited to conventional payloads, its design reflects South Korea’s aim to strengthen autonomy in long-range precision strike capabilities.
An estimated budget of between 200 and 218 million USD (approximately 290 billion KRW) has been allocated for the modernization of the KTSSM-II series, including integration of air-launched versions onto the KF-21, whose serial production began last year. Hanwha Aerospace has already signed a contract to supply 40 engines for the fighters, underscoring industrial involvement in the program.
Technically, the South Korean missile falls between Israel’s Air LORA and the U.S. Mako in design and mission profile. The Air LORA, produced by Israel Aerospace Industries, weighs about 1.6 tons, carries a 570 kg warhead, reaches Mach 5, and has a range of 90 to 430 km, with inertial navigation, GPS, and TV terminal guidance providing a 10 m CEP. The Mako, developed by Lockheed Martin, is much lighter at 590 kg with a 59 kg warhead, measures 4 meters in length, reaches Mach 5+, and can be carried internally by stealth fighters such as the F-35 and F-22. The South Korean missile, with a 600 kg warhead and a potential range of 500 to 1,000 km, combines the warhead mass of the Air LORA with a significantly greater range and far exceeds the Mako in destructive capacity, while being optimized for the KF-21 and other domestic platforms.
The KF-21, developed under the KF-X program in cooperation with Indonesia, is a multirole fighter already compatible with short-range air-to-air missiles IRIS-T and AIM-9X, medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAM, and long-range Meteor missiles. The integration of hypersonic ballistic missiles would represent a substantial shift, enabling the aircraft to carry out rapid strikes that are difficult to counter.
The program comes amid an intensifying regional competition in hypersonic weapons, with similar developments underway in Russia, China, and the United States. For South Korea, this capability could enhance deterrence against North Korea while positioning the country among the limited number of states able to develop and integrate such weapons into their air forces.
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On August 12, 2025, according to publicly released information and as reported on X by @mason_8718, South Korea confirmed the development of an air-launched hypersonic ballistic missile intended for the KF-21 fighter. The program is based on the Korean Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile (KTSSM) family and envisions a configuration allowing two weapons to be carried per aircraft. The concept is similar to the Israeli Air LORA and ROCKS systems, as well as the American Mako project, all of which are designed to provide long-range strike capability while penetrating advanced air defense systems.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Designed for the KF-21 and potentially the FA-50, the missile can strike strategic or heavily defended targets from 400 to 1,000 kilometers away at speeds of Mach 5 to Mach 10, following a quasi-ballistic path to complicate interception. (Picture source: Republic of Korea Air Force)
The objective is to equip the KF-21, and potentially the FA-50, with a means of striking strategic or heavily defended targets while limiting the exposure of the launch platform. The missile is expected to have a range of 400 to 1,000 kilometers and a speed between Mach 5 and Mach 10, following a quasi-ballistic trajectory that makes interception significantly more difficult.
Development of the air-launched KTSSM-I is reportedly complete, though the operational version may be based on the more capable KTSSM-II Block-II. This variant incorporates technologies aimed at increasing warhead power, estimated at about 600 kg for the KTSSM-I, with further enhancements planned for the newer version. In parallel, another air-to-surface missile, the CTM-290, with a 220 kg warhead, is intended to complement the available weapons portfolio.
Originally designed to rapidly neutralize artillery positions, missile systems, and fortified infrastructure in North Korea, the KTSSM, nicknamed “Ure”, is built on an architecture that could theoretically accommodate other warhead types. While currently limited to conventional payloads, its design reflects South Korea’s aim to strengthen autonomy in long-range precision strike capabilities.
An estimated budget of between 200 and 218 million USD (approximately 290 billion KRW) has been allocated for the modernization of the KTSSM-II series, including integration of air-launched versions onto the KF-21, whose serial production began last year. Hanwha Aerospace has already signed a contract to supply 40 engines for the fighters, underscoring industrial involvement in the program.
Technically, the South Korean missile falls between Israel’s Air LORA and the U.S. Mako in design and mission profile. The Air LORA, produced by Israel Aerospace Industries, weighs about 1.6 tons, carries a 570 kg warhead, reaches Mach 5, and has a range of 90 to 430 km, with inertial navigation, GPS, and TV terminal guidance providing a 10 m CEP. The Mako, developed by Lockheed Martin, is much lighter at 590 kg with a 59 kg warhead, measures 4 meters in length, reaches Mach 5+, and can be carried internally by stealth fighters such as the F-35 and F-22. The South Korean missile, with a 600 kg warhead and a potential range of 500 to 1,000 km, combines the warhead mass of the Air LORA with a significantly greater range and far exceeds the Mako in destructive capacity, while being optimized for the KF-21 and other domestic platforms.
The KF-21, developed under the KF-X program in cooperation with Indonesia, is a multirole fighter already compatible with short-range air-to-air missiles IRIS-T and AIM-9X, medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAM, and long-range Meteor missiles. The integration of hypersonic ballistic missiles would represent a substantial shift, enabling the aircraft to carry out rapid strikes that are difficult to counter.
The program comes amid an intensifying regional competition in hypersonic weapons, with similar developments underway in Russia, China, and the United States. For South Korea, this capability could enhance deterrence against North Korea while positioning the country among the limited number of states able to develop and integrate such weapons into their air forces.
