The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) officially accepted its first production KF-21 Boramae fighter on September 22, 2026. The handover ceremony took place at the Korea Aerospace Industries plant located at Sacheon Airport.
Serial number 001 was accepted by Major Han Jae-seok of the 156th Fighter Squadron. Following the signing of delivery documentation, the aircraft completed a ferry flight to its new home at Yecheon Air Base. The fighter was accompanied by a formation of T-50 variants during the transit.
The 156th Fighter Squadron is tasked with leading the initial integration of the KF-21. Current efforts focus on establishing maintenance and logistics protocols while refining conversion training for incoming pilots. The ROKAF expects to reach full operational capability for the Block I variant in the second half of 2027.
Development of the KF-21 included over 1,600 test flights to validate its air-to-air capabilities. Plans call for the delivery of 40 air-to-air configured units by 2028, with an additional 80 aircraft featuring ground-attack capabilities to follow by 2032. The fleet will ultimately replace the aging F-4 and F-5 airframes currently in service.