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South Korean KF-21 jet will be able to compete with F-16 and Gripen for new Philippine fighter

Government of the Philippines says that the list of Gripen and F-16 finalists is not yet definitive.

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 05/09/2022 - 08:15in Military

The newest South Korean fighter KF-21 'Boramae' will be able to participate in the Philippines Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) shopping program, which already has the Saab Gripen and the F-16 on its list of finalists.

The KF-21 is currently in its flight test program and could join the Philippine Air Force in 2026. However, the other two competitors are ready for acquisition and delivery.

The spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (PAF), Colonel Maynard Mariano, told the country's news agency (PNA) on August 16 that "it is a possibility, since the MRF has not yet been funded, with the KF-21 being able to be a candidate for the MRF".

The spokesman's statements indicate that the restricted list of Gripen and F-16 is not final and that the KF-21 aroused significant interest in Manila. This also means that the acquisition may be postponed to 2027-29, when the South Korean fighter is scheduled to enter serial production.

"We cannot close our options when there are new systems that can compete with other systems and that can fit our need for defense. Currently, the prototyping phase of any system can be done faster due to the availability of technology, and we can see it in the field soon," Mariano told PNA.

The KF-21 was designed as a fourth generation aircraft with stealth resources. It boasts two General Electric (GE) F414-400K engines. Its two competitors in the MRF program - the Gripen boasts a single GE F414-GE-39E turbofan, while the F-16V has a single Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine or a GE F110-GE-129 engine.

The twin-engine configuration gives the fighter more thrust than any of its competitors, which translates into higher speed or more weapon carrying capacity. On the negative side, its fuel efficiency may be lower than that of the two single-engine fighters.

According to the MRF's request for proposals, PAF is looking for 12 fourth generation fighter units with a range of at least 250 nautical miles. The project is worth about $1.09 billion.

What can work in favor of the KF-21 is that its manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), provided 12 FA-50PH light fighters for Manila and PAF developed a good opinion about the fighter.

"Just like when we got the FA-50, there were many negative comments against him, but we proved to critics that the system can be prepared for combat and was really proven in combat (in the Battle of Marawi)" he added.

Both pre-selected aircraft - the F-16 and the ?? Gripen have structures that date back to two decades or more. While its latest iterations have features such as AESA radar, the latest in communications and avionics, as well as compatibility with the latest and legacy weapons, the K-21 has a totally new structure with stealth features, in partnership with drones (under development) and AESA radar developed by South Korea and compatibility with Western-made missiles and missiles.

Tags: Military AviationKAI - Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd.KF-21 BoramaePAF - Philippine Air Force/Philippine Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. It has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.