South Korea Starts Domestic Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile Program for the KF-21 Fighter Jet
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South Korea has approved a 435.9 billion won program to develop a homegrown short-range air-to-air missile for the KF-21 Boramae. The effort aims to deepen strategic autonomy and strengthen the fighter’s export value as regional demand for advanced aircraft grows.
On 2nd December 2025, South Korea’s arms procurement authorities confirmed the launch of a 435.9 billion won (about $296 million) program to develop indigenous short-range air-to-air guided missiles for the KF-21 Boramae fighter jets, as reported by Korea Times and announced by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). This decision marks the first fully homegrown air-to-air missile development program for the KF-21 and fits into a broader strategy to secure strategic autonomy in critical airborne weapon systems. By targeting operational readiness of the new missile capability by 2032, Seoul is seeking both to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and to strengthen the export appeal of the KF-21 package at a time when demand for advanced but affordable fighter solutions is rising in Asia and the Middle East.
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South Korea has kicked off a domestic short-range air-to-air missile program for the KF-21 fighter jet, a move aimed at boosting the aircraft’s autonomy and long-term export appeal (Picture Source: Korean Aerospace Industries)
The new missile will be developed under the leadership of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), with major participation expected from LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Aerospace, the two flagship actors of South Korea’s missile and aerospace industrial base. Today, the KF-21 test fleet is using or preparing to integrate imported missiles such as the European IRIS-T for short-range engagements and Meteor for beyond-visual-range combat, with U.S. AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder also considered for future integration. The new program does not replace these weapons in the short term; instead, it adds a domestic option that can be tailored to the KF-21’s sensors, data links and future stealth upgrades. In practice, this gives the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) a layered mix: combat-proven Western missiles for near-term readiness, complemented over time by a national missile family designed from the outset around KF-21-specific requirements and export flexibility.
From a capability standpoint, the future short-range missile is expected to be more than a simple infrared dogfight weapon. While detailed specifications have not yet been disclosed, ADD and its industrial partners already field complex seekers, data links and guidance algorithms on systems such as the air-launched Cheonryong cruise missile and the TAipers anti-tank missile. It is therefore reasonable to expect a highly agile missile with an imaging infrared seeker, high off-boresight engagement angles, and full compatibility with the KF-21’s AESA radar, electronic warfare suite and helmet-mounted sight. If these expectations are met, the new weapon would give the Boramae a sovereign counterpart to leading Western short-range missiles, while allowing South Korea to manage upgrades without foreign approval and to adapt the missile’s software or seekers to specific export customers. In the longer term, an indigenous short-range missile will also provide a building block for a full family of air-to-air weapons, complementing South Korea’s ongoing work on long-range air-to-air and advanced air-to-ground munitions for the KF-21.
The program must be read against a regional backdrop characterized by North Korea’s missile developments, intensifying great-power competition in Northeast Asia and growing scrutiny of export control regimes. DAPA has explicitly framed the missile initiative as essential to “strategic autonomy”, reducing exposure to shifting U.S. and European export policies that could constrain the availability, upgradeability or re-export of foreign-made missiles in crisis. By fielding a domestically engineered missile mated to a domestically led fighter program, Seoul gains much greater freedom to adapt rules of use, integration timelines and configuration baselines without external veto players. This autonomy carries geopolitical weight: it strengthens South Korea’s bargaining position within the U.S. alliance framework, offers partners in Southeast Asia and the Middle East a combat aircraft package less exposed to third-party licensing, and signals to regional competitors that Seoul is consolidating a vertically integrated air combat capability, from sensors to missiles.
The 435.9 billion won budget allocated for 2025–2032 represents a modest share of the broader KF‑21 program, whose development alone exceeds 8.8 trillion won. Averaging about 54 billion won ($37 million) annually, the missile effort is manageable within South Korea’s expanding defense budget and ADD’s R&D framework. For the industry, the impact is more direct: LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Aerospace secure long‑term contracts that sustain high‑skill jobs, advance seeker and propulsion technologies, and potentially generate export revenue if marketed with the KF‑21.
The choice to pursue a national short-range air-to-air missile for the KF-21 represents more than a simple upgrade to armaments. It strengthens the technological backbone of South Korea’s airpower and defense industry. By directing several hundred billion won into a program that combines ADD’s research and development capabilities with the manufacturing capacity of LIG Nex1, Hanwha Aerospace, and potentially KAI, Seoul is shaping the Boramae as more than an advanced fighter; it is developing a fully sovereign air combat ecosystem. For the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), this enhances operational resilience in high-intensity scenarios. For export customers, it provides a more cohesive and less constrained weapons package. And for the broader region, it signals South Korea’s intention to remain a central, independent player in the evolving Indo-Pacific balance of airpower.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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South Korea has approved a 435.9 billion won program to develop a homegrown short-range air-to-air missile for the KF-21 Boramae. The effort aims to deepen strategic autonomy and strengthen the fighter’s export value as regional demand for advanced aircraft grows.
On 2nd December 2025, South Korea’s arms procurement authorities confirmed the launch of a 435.9 billion won (about $296 million) program to develop indigenous short-range air-to-air guided missiles for the KF-21 Boramae fighter jets, as reported by Korea Times and announced by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). This decision marks the first fully homegrown air-to-air missile development program for the KF-21 and fits into a broader strategy to secure strategic autonomy in critical airborne weapon systems. By targeting operational readiness of the new missile capability by 2032, Seoul is seeking both to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and to strengthen the export appeal of the KF-21 package at a time when demand for advanced but affordable fighter solutions is rising in Asia and the Middle East.
South Korea has kicked off a domestic short-range air-to-air missile program for the KF-21 fighter jet, a move aimed at boosting the aircraft’s autonomy and long-term export appeal (Picture Source: Korean Aerospace Industries)
The new missile will be developed under the leadership of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), with major participation expected from LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Aerospace, the two flagship actors of South Korea’s missile and aerospace industrial base. Today, the KF-21 test fleet is using or preparing to integrate imported missiles such as the European IRIS-T for short-range engagements and Meteor for beyond-visual-range combat, with U.S. AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder also considered for future integration. The new program does not replace these weapons in the short term; instead, it adds a domestic option that can be tailored to the KF-21’s sensors, data links and future stealth upgrades. In practice, this gives the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) a layered mix: combat-proven Western missiles for near-term readiness, complemented over time by a national missile family designed from the outset around KF-21-specific requirements and export flexibility.
From a capability standpoint, the future short-range missile is expected to be more than a simple infrared dogfight weapon. While detailed specifications have not yet been disclosed, ADD and its industrial partners already field complex seekers, data links and guidance algorithms on systems such as the air-launched Cheonryong cruise missile and the TAipers anti-tank missile. It is therefore reasonable to expect a highly agile missile with an imaging infrared seeker, high off-boresight engagement angles, and full compatibility with the KF-21’s AESA radar, electronic warfare suite and helmet-mounted sight. If these expectations are met, the new weapon would give the Boramae a sovereign counterpart to leading Western short-range missiles, while allowing South Korea to manage upgrades without foreign approval and to adapt the missile’s software or seekers to specific export customers. In the longer term, an indigenous short-range missile will also provide a building block for a full family of air-to-air weapons, complementing South Korea’s ongoing work on long-range air-to-air and advanced air-to-ground munitions for the KF-21.
The program must be read against a regional backdrop characterized by North Korea’s missile developments, intensifying great-power competition in Northeast Asia and growing scrutiny of export control regimes. DAPA has explicitly framed the missile initiative as essential to “strategic autonomy”, reducing exposure to shifting U.S. and European export policies that could constrain the availability, upgradeability or re-export of foreign-made missiles in crisis. By fielding a domestically engineered missile mated to a domestically led fighter program, Seoul gains much greater freedom to adapt rules of use, integration timelines and configuration baselines without external veto players. This autonomy carries geopolitical weight: it strengthens South Korea’s bargaining position within the U.S. alliance framework, offers partners in Southeast Asia and the Middle East a combat aircraft package less exposed to third-party licensing, and signals to regional competitors that Seoul is consolidating a vertically integrated air combat capability, from sensors to missiles.
The 435.9 billion won budget allocated for 2025–2032 represents a modest share of the broader KF‑21 program, whose development alone exceeds 8.8 trillion won. Averaging about 54 billion won ($37 million) annually, the missile effort is manageable within South Korea’s expanding defense budget and ADD’s R&D framework. For the industry, the impact is more direct: LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Aerospace secure long‑term contracts that sustain high‑skill jobs, advance seeker and propulsion technologies, and potentially generate export revenue if marketed with the KF‑21.
The choice to pursue a national short-range air-to-air missile for the KF-21 represents more than a simple upgrade to armaments. It strengthens the technological backbone of South Korea’s airpower and defense industry. By directing several hundred billion won into a program that combines ADD’s research and development capabilities with the manufacturing capacity of LIG Nex1, Hanwha Aerospace, and potentially KAI, Seoul is shaping the Boramae as more than an advanced fighter; it is developing a fully sovereign air combat ecosystem. For the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), this enhances operational resilience in high-intensity scenarios. For export customers, it provides a more cohesive and less constrained weapons package. And for the broader region, it signals South Korea’s intention to remain a central, independent player in the evolving Indo-Pacific balance of airpower.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
