ADEX 2025 — LIG Nex1 booth displays next-generation air-launched weapons including a supersonic anti-ship missile concept. KF-21 Moves Beyond Air Superiority Toward True Multirole Capability

In August, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that the timeline for integrating air-to-ground weapons onto the KF-21 would be advanced from late 2028 to the first half of 2027. This accelerated schedule aims to secure early combat value—both in wartime and peacetime—by rearranging test and certification processes. The KF-21 Block I, now in production, focuses primarily on air superiority missions, optimized for mid-range and short-range air-to-air engagements using the Meteor and IRIS-T (AIM-2000). The upcoming KF-21 Block II will retain this air-to-air capability while significantly expanding into precision strike roles with new air-to-ground and air-to-surface munitions.

KGGB and Cheonryong: Key Advantages of Indigenous Integration

To strengthen strike capabilities, KF-21 Block I platforms will receive upgrades including low-altitude penetration flight and integration of Electro-Optical Targeting Pods (EO-TGP), enabling stealthy ingress and precision-guided attacks. For Block II, DAPA has categorized ten classes of air-to-ground weapons for phased testing and fielding. Two key indigenous systems are drawing major attention:

Korean GPS-Guided Bomb (KGGB)

• Wing-equipped glide bomb

• Range: approx. 100 km—over three times that of JDAM (≈30 km)

• Enables stand-off strikes outside enemy air-defense zones

Using the KF-21’s AESA radar in SAR and MTI modes, the aircraft can identify multiple ground targets and execute simultaneous multi-KGGB attacks.

Cheonryong Long-Range Air-to-Ground Missile

Development is progressing steadily, with successful safe-separation trials conducted from a modified FA-50 test aircraft in June. After completing FA-50 test campaigns, final integration and validation on KF-21 prototypes are expected by 2027.

Korea Pursues Indigenous Air-to-Air Missiles to Reduce Export Constraints

To reduce dependence on foreign missiles—particularly the Meteor and AIM-2000, which require export approval from multiple European governments—South Korea is pursuing parallel development of long-range and short-range air-to-air missiles. At ADEX 2025, LIG Nex1 displayed mockups of both systems: Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile (LRAAM), Second-phase Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (SRAAM-II). Export approval from third countries remains a critical obstacle; rejection could block KF-21 export deals entirely. Cost is another issue: the Meteor reportedly exceeds KRW 4 billion per round, meaning four under-fuselage missiles could cost more than KRW 16 billion per aircraft. Indigenous missiles, expected to enter production around 2035, are projected to deliver superior performance at roughly half the cost of imported systems.

Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile Program Faces Delays

The much-anticipated KF-21 supersonic anti-ship missile program has been put on hold, following a Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) review that concluded the project lacked sufficient feasibility due to escalating costs and low probability of long-range engagement scenarios. Nonetheless, LIG Nex1 displayed a full-scale mockup at ADEX 2025—a move reportedly intended to keep the program alive within industry and government circles. KAI and Hanwha Aerospace also exhibited a conceptual air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) that could be deployed from the KF-21.

Modular Missiles—A Glimpse into Future Unmanned and Multirole Warfare

A standout exhibit was LIG Nex1’s modular missile, designed not only for the KF-21 but also for future unmanned combat aircraft (UCAVs). The small-form-factor weapon can be equipped with mission-specific payloads, including: Ground-attack warheads, Electronic warfare modules Decoys, Specialized effectors for complex distributed operations. “LIG Nex1’s modular missile responds directly to future ROK Air Force requirements,” an official said. “The technologies developed for KGGB and Cheonryong will be applied, creating a uniquely Korean family of advanced air-to-surface weapons.”

Toward a Fully Korean Weapons Ecosystem for the KF-21

From glide bombs and precision long-range missiles to indigenous air-to-air systems and modular future munitions, South Korea’s strategy is clear: to transform the KF-21 into a wholly Korean-armed fighter, eliminate export constraints, and enhance the country’s autonomy in next-generation air combat systems. ADEX 2025 demonstrated that this transformation is already well underway—and that the KF-21’s evolution into a world-class multirole platform will be driven by a rapidly expanding ecosystem of Korean-built advanced weaponry.

K-DEFENSE NEWS | Strategic Analysis Desk