Struggling to master fifth-generation fighters, South Korea launches sixth-generation fighter program

As widely known, since China unveiled its J-20 stealth fighter, many countries have thought, "If China can do it, so can I," and have subsequently launched their own fifth- or sixth-generation fighter development programs.

South Korea is a typical example. Recently, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration of South Korea released a bidding service contract for the "Next-Generation Fighter Concept Study" project, with an initial approved budget of 9 billion KRW—approximately $650,000. However, this is not the full R&D budget for South Korea's sixth-generation fighter program; it merely covers early-stage concept research and evaluation funding.

Certainly, having ambition is one thing, but whether South Korea can actually achieve it is another matter entirely.

South Korea’s defense industry does hold a place in the international market, but its core competitiveness has never been original R&D. Instead, it lies in excellent system integration and large-scale production capabilities. The country excels at assembling mature subsystems from NATO systems into high-value, cost-effective weapons, delivering reliable performance and controllable costs at scale.

However, when it comes to genuine independent innovation—especially in cutting-edge aviation equipment development—South Korea’s weaknesses become glaringly obvious. The most telling example is the KF-21 fighter, which is marketed as a fifth-generation aircraft but actually only reaches fourth-and-a-half-generation standards, relying heavily on critical subsystems supplied by the United States.

The main selling point of this aircraft, like South Korea’s “Thunder” howitzer (K9), is its cost-effectiveness—ideal for nations seeking fifth-generation capabilities but constrained by budgets. Yet in reality, it still falls significantly short of true fifth-generation standards.

Given that South Korea struggles even with fifth-generation fighters, its sixth-generation fighter program is highly likely to follow its long-standing industrial path: relying on U.S.-supplied engines, sensors, and weapon systems, then integrating them into a fifth-and-a-half- or quasi-sixth-generation fighter.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874950350196041/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author