Seoul: South Korea and Indonesia have tentatively agreed to transfer one of South Korea's six KF-21 fighter jet prototypes to Jakarta, a Seoul lawmaker said Tuesday, as their joint development project nears completion. During working-level talks held in February, both sides reached an agreement regarding the handover of a single-seat KF-21 prototype, which has been utilized for verification tests such as aerial refueling, according to Rep. Kang Dae-sik of the main opposition party, who cited a document submitted by the state defense procurement agency.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the handover is valued at about 600 billion won (US$398 million), encompassing an estimated 350 billion-won fighter jet and other development costs. This move coincides with the impending completion of the joint development of the KF-21, scheduled for June, after over a decade of development. South Korea initiated the project in 2015 to develop a homegrown supersonic fighter jet, with Indonesia joining as a partner. Indonesia agreed to share development costs in exchange for technology transfers, a prototype, and other conditions.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration is expected to finalize the schedule for the handover of the prototype and relevant technology documents once Indonesia fulfills its 600 billion-won contribution to the joint jet project. Initially, Indonesia had agreed to shoulder about 20 percent of the project's cost as a partner country but later proposed lowering its contribution in exchange for reducing the level of technology transfers. In June last year, the two countries inked a final deal to adjust Jakarta's contribution to the current amount.
In addition to the prototype handover, Seoul is reportedly in discussions with Jakarta to sign a deal to export 16 KF-21 fighter jets, marking South Korea's first overseas sale of such homegrown fighter jets.