The KF-21 Boramae, a 4.5-generation Korean supersonic fighter jet, is reportedly set to be deployed at the Air Force's Gangneung base near North Korea, drawing attention from inside and outside the military. The Gangneung Fighter Wing (18th Fighter Wing) is considered the most likely candidate, given factors such as each fighter wing's capacity to accommodate new aircraft. In particular, analysts say the deployment of the KF-21 to Gangneung reflects the role currently played by the F-5 in the Air Force.
The Gangneung base is currently used as an F-5 base. The F-5, an aging aircraft introduced more than 40 years ago, requires less preparation time for flight compared with other state-of-the-art aircraft, allowing rapid takeoff and aerial response. This advantage led to its deployment at Gangneung, which is close to North Korea.
The Block-1 batch of the KF-21 is scheduled to enter operational service equipped with air-to-air missiles (missiles fired from aircraft to shoot down enemy aircraft), excluding air-to-surface missiles (missiles fired from aircraft to destroy enemy ground targets). If deployed in rear areas in the south, there would be limited room to immediately utilize the KF-21's air-to-air capabilities in a contingency. Therefore, deploying it at Gangneung, one of the Air Force's frontline bases, would be more effective in playing the role of initial response to aerial provocations by North Korean air forces in a contingency.
The KF-21 is divided into Block 1, Block 2 and Block 3 according to development phase, each with different specifications. Block 1 has difficulty mounting air-to-surface missiles.
KF-21 to Be Deployed at Gangneung for Initial Response in Contingencies
In March, the Defense Project Promotion Committee finalized a so-called "20+20" mass-production contract for the KF-21, with 20 units this year and 20 units in 2025. The aircraft will enter operational deployment in 2026. According to Air Force convention, which typically organizes one fighter squadron with 20 fighters, two KF-21 squadrons are expected to be deployed at Gangneung sequentially. The F-5 force currently stationed at Gangneung is expected to be relocated to Suwon Air Base, another F-5 operating base, to continue its existing missions until retirement.
Once the KF-21 deployment is finalized, the Gangneung base is expected to begin construction work for the KF-21 deployment after the F-5 is relocated.
Since the KF-21 measures 16.9 meters in length and 11.2 meters in wingspan — larger than the F-5, a small and lightweight tactical aircraft measuring 14.5 meters and 8.1 meters respectively — work to expand hangars and other facilities will be necessary.
During the construction period, pilots and maintenance personnel will not need to be stationed at the Gangneung base, so only the minimum personnel needed for base operation and maintenance are expected to remain. In this case, a plan to lower the rank of the wing commander, currently a brigadier general, is also reportedly under consideration.
How many fighters does the Republic of Korea Air Force operate, and how are they deployed?
First, let's look at the structure of Air Force bases. Looking only at attack fighters, excluding trainers, one fighter squadron in an Air Force fighter wing is typically organized around four flights, though this can vary depending on the unit's mission. One flight consists of four fighters. Thus, one squadron operates 18 to 24 fighters.
According to the "2022 Defense White Paper" published by the Ministry of National Defense, the Air Force operates around 410 attack fighters. Given that the Korean Peninsula has a relatively small territory but faces the special situation of military confrontation with North Korea, what is the appropriate number of fighters for the Korean military?
Military experts assess the figure at around 430. The number of fighters needed to meet the Air Force fighter sortie requirements specified in the three-day Pre-positioned Air Tasking Order (Pre-ATO), which provides the planned capabilities of the Combined Air Forces Command to the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Commander in preparation for North Korean provocations, is 430. This figure is the standard for the number of aircraft that should be operated in peacetime.
According to a paper titled "A Study on the Method of Deriving the Appropriate Fighter Size for the Korean Air Force in Preparation for North Korea's Military Threat — Focusing on the Requirements for Offensive Operations" published by Cho Kwan-haeng, professor of military studies at the Korea Air Force Academy, the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses set the appropriate number of fighters at around 430, taking into account the security environment.
What about deployment by fighter type? The 8th Fighter Wing in Wonju (8FW) operates two FA-50 squadrons, while the 16th Fighter Wing in Yecheon has one FA-50 squadron and one TA-50 squadron. The 10th Fighter Wing in Suwon operates one F-4E squadron and two KF-5E/F squadrons. The 18th Fighter Wing in Gangneung has two KF-5E/F squadrons, while the 19th Fighter Wing in Chungju is composed of one KF-16 squadron and two F-16 squadrons.
The 20th Fighter Wing in Seosan has four KF-16 squadrons, and the 38th Fighter Wing in Gunsan has one KF-16 squadron. The 11th Fighter Wing in Daegu operates three F-15K squadrons, and the 17th Fighter Wing in Cheongju operates two F-35A squadrons.
Air Force's Appropriate Fighter Holdings: Around 430
The composition of the roughly 430 fighters consists of 100 high-tier fighters, 200 medium-tier fighters and 130 low-tier fighters. Based on the number of aircraft, the Korean Air Force's main fighters are the F-15K and KF-16.
The F-15K is stationed at the 11th Fighter Wing in Daegu. A total of 61 F-15Ks, considered the high-tier main fighter, were imported, of which two crashed, leaving 59 currently in operation. The F-15K has been named "Slam Eagle" by the Air Force. As a fighter-bomber, it carries out both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. At the request of the Korean Air Force, it has the capability to operate Harpoon Block 2 anti-ship missiles and SLAM-ER air-to-surface missiles.
It is an aircraft upgraded with 1990s technology from the F-15E Strike Eagle, a fighter-bomber derived from the F-15 Eagle. As the first F-15 series sold overseas with performance superior to U.S. military specifications, it was regarded as the most powerful air-superiority fighter among Northeast Asian air force tactical aircraft from the mid-2000s to the mid-2010s after its introduction. However, since the late 2010s, with the deployment of Japan's upgraded F-15J and F-35A, and China's J-20, it has lost its edge, and upgrades are being planned.
The KF-16 is stationed at the 20th Fighter Wing at Seosan base in South Chungcheong Province and the 38th Fighter Wing at Gunsan base. The KF-16, a fourth-generation multi-role fighter, is the most numerous fighter operated by the Air Force, with around 160 units. They consist of about 130 KF-16s and around 30 KF-16PBUs. It is nicknamed "Pilseung Boramae," but the nickname is not as well known as the F-5's "Jegongho." With the KF-21 also receiving the Boramae name, its recognition has dropped further.
Since 2016, F-16PB aircraft of Block 32 specifications have been upgraded to specifications equivalent to Block 52, and these are called "F-16PBU." The Air Force introduced 40 F-16C/D Block 30/32 (F-16PB) aircraft from 1986 under the first Peace Bridge program (Peace Bridge I) launched in 1981. In December 1989, the Air Force signed a license production contract for 120 F-16 Block 50/52 (KF-16) aircraft under the second Peace Bridge program (Peace Bridge II), which were introduced from 1994.
Finally, through the third Peace Bridge program (Peace Bridge III), 20 additional F-16 Block 50/52 aircraft were introduced from 2003. As of late last year, after losses from crashes and other incidents (six F-16PBs + nine KF-16s = 15 in total), the KF-16 fleet stands at 89 C-type and 42 D-type aircraft, totaling around 130. Adding 27 F-16PBU C-type and seven D-type aircraft, totaling around 30, the Air Force currently operates around 160 F-16-series aircraft in total. This is the sixth-largest fleet in the world.
The KF-16 is currently undergoing performance upgrades. The upgrade of all 130 aircraft is scheduled to be completed by 2028. The performance upgrades include the new AN/APG-83 AESA radar, a new mission computer, electronic warfare equipment, an improved control stick, and software improvements to enable the use of the JHMCS-II. Performance is comparable to the F-16V (Block 70/72).
Linking the JHMCS-2 helmet with the AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder missile enables off-boresight target
