The Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) of the Republic of Korea (ROK) has reduced the research and production expenses for the 4.5 generation KF-21 fighter jet by $0.4 million.
According to Janes, the initiative, which was earlier anticipated to cost $7.2 billion (8.6 trillion KRW), would now cost $6.8 billion (8.1 trillion KRW), citing an anonymous DAPA spokesman.
The cost savings result from the KF-21 programme being awarded tax-exempt status after being declared a "defence article."
Indonesia, the Republic of Korea"s principal partner, will also experience a drop in expenditures for its portion of the programme, which has been reduced to $1.35 billion (1.6 trillion KRW).
The KF-21 Boramae is a stealth fighter jet presently being developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) as a part of the long-running KF-X development programme. The aeroplane has frequently been chastised for its excessive price. On several times, this moment almost resulted in the programme being scrapped.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Republic of Korea and Indonesia. The former gives 80% of the funds, while the latter contributes 20%. The partners have had disagreements on the sharing of tasks. The long-running issue was finally settled in November 2021.
The jet"s first flight was conducted in April 2021. According to KAI, the prototype"s first flight is expected for 2022, and full manufacturing will begin in 2026.
The aircraft is considered 4.5 generation because it is a stealth aircraft in comparision to other fourth-generation fighters. It can not however carry weapons in internal bays like fifth-generation fighters.
