{"id":41008,"date":"2026-05-15T12:56:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T11:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aerospaceglobalnews.com\/?p=41008"},"modified":"2026-05-15T12:29:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T11:29:36","slug":"south-korea-kf-21-boramae-f-5-retirement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aerospaceglobalnews.com\/news\/south-korea-kf-21-boramae-f-5-retirement\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea accelerates F-5 retirement as KF-21 costs and delays grow"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

South Korea <\/a><\/span><\/strong>is accelerating the retirement of its ageing F-5<\/a><\/span><\/strong> fighter fleet as the domestically developed KF-21 Boramae<\/a><\/span><\/strong> moves closer to operational service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, growing concerns over programme costs and production delays are beginning to cast a shadow over Seoul’s most ambitious combat aircraft project in decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Republic of Korea Air Force <\/a><\/span><\/strong>now plans to retire its remaining F-5 fighters by the end of 2027, three years earlier than originally planned, according to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Son Sug-rag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move comes as the first production KF-21 aircraft prepares for delivery later this year, following combat suitability approval from South Korea’s defence ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet behind the milestone, South Korean defence planners are increasingly grappling with a difficult reality: the aircraft meant to replace the F-5 may itself be facing a slower and far more expensive rollout than originally expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Korea prepares to retire its Cold War-era F-5 fighter fleet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The aircraft now approaching retirement have formed part of South Korea’s air defence network for generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The F-5 Tiger II traces its origins to the early 1960s, when Northrop developed the lightweight supersonic fighter as a low-cost, highly manoeuvrable combat aircraft for allied air forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Korea first acquired F-5A\/B variants in 1965 before later introducing the improved F-5E models during the 1970s. More than 2,600 F-5 aircraft were eventually built worldwide, with the type serving in dozens of countries over several decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite its age, the aircraft remained attractive because of its relatively low operating costs, agility and ease of maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u53f0\u6e7e\u306eF-5\u304c\u5c45\u306a\u304f\u306a\u308aROKAF\u306eF-5\u3082\u5f15\u9000\u8fd1\u3044\u3057\u524d\u64ae\u3063\u305f\u6642\u5929\u6c17\u304c\u30ab\u30b9\u3060\u3063\u305f\u306e\u3067\u30ea\u30d9\u30f3\u30b8\u3057\u305f\u3044\u3051\u3069\u97d3\u56fd\u30b9\u30dd\u30c3\u30c6\u30a3\u30f3\u30b0\u304c\u5b89\u5fc3\u3057\u3066\u51fa\u6765\u306a\u304f\u306a\u3063\u3066\u304d\u305f\u306e\u3067\u60a9\u307f pic.twitter.com\/UKIIoliztp<\/a><\/p>— \u304b\u3068\u305d (@katoso_plus) July 4, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>