South Korean KAI KF-X fighter

Gloire_bb

Gloire_bb

Captain
Registered Member
minusone said:
Given the low localization for crucial parts which require licensing, i doubt kf21 is cheap off the shelf (< 50mil)
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Still a reasonably priced, modern fighter without too many direct strings (lots of indirect ones though).
Comparing with other recent Indonesian procurements/candidates, Rafale is 1990s airframe, F-15EX/Su-35, at their core, are 1970s ones.

minusone said:
Indonesia certainly does not lack money, they even asked for F35 purchase LMAO.
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Asking doesn't come with a pricetag. How they gather money for batches of rafales and frigates is a comedy, though...
 
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minusone

Junior Member
Registered Member
sequ said:
They got everything to gain.

It's a cost-effective 4.5 gen fighter which they are involved in its development and can be further developed in a 5th gen fighter without too much difficulty.

If Indonesia wants a 5th gen fighter, they'd have to make too many concessions geopolitically speaking, endure a very long delivery time or pay a huge price to buy off the shelf.
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Worth noting that KF-21 is not actually shaped for stealth. The misconception that one can just easily upgrade kf-21 to 5th gen with few tweaks is just nonsensical.

Any modification, small or big on making the jet more parallel in shape, will require the team to go back to drawing board and start all over again.
 
Gloire_bb

Gloire_bb

Captain
Registered Member
minusone said:
Worth noting that KF-21 is not actually shaped for stealth. The misconception that one can just easily upgrade kf-21 to 5th gen with few tweaks is just nonsensical.
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It's stealth geometry is pretty genuine.
While ROKAF didn't exactly ask for much, it's here nonetheless.
 
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Stealthflanker

Senior Member
Registered Member
I consider it good enough for introduction to low RCS fighter for us. Like the lowest RCS fighter we could train against was T-50 which have about 1 sqm.

Clean, KF-21 can actually attain median frontal RCS of 0.06 sqm at 8GHz. The Metor missile tho, add alot of problems in ventral position.

I really have to update my KF-21 model sometime haha. Adding the S-duct and those new details. 0.1 Sqm would still be a great improvement for me.

I noticed people make fuss about lack of Indonesian flag at the 5th prototype but for people who actually care tho.. The logo of our Ministry of Defense is still there. The lack of flag well it could be for ceremonial purpose.

Well this is from my old estimates :

Clean one

KFX-Clean2.png

With Meteor

X-band KFXconf.png

As for Rafale and F-15's.

Well the deal are funded through external loan. Especially for F-15's where we are expected to use FMS (Foreign Military Sales) scheme. where the deal is Between our Govt and US Govt. US Govt will then award the contract for the manufacture of the F-15's to Boeing.

IF Boeing ever really concern about the ability to pay it's when the deal is DCS (Direct Commercial Sales). Rafale deal is supposedly funded through loan from BNP Paribas.
 
phrozenflame

phrozenflame

Junior Member
Registered Member
TerraN_EmpirE said:
yes but that Japanese are keeping there own gen five program online. And those 2016 projections are still possible too slip. the only Wat Japan is getting that date is because they are getting in a a full contractor. The F35 is still on the Down select as a alternative too KF-X but they will also at least look into there own craft.
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Japan's stuff is so expensive, they should honestly should just buy lol
 
TerraN_EmpirE

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
phrozenflame said:
Japan's stuff is so expensive, they should honestly should just buy lol
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Japanese military hardware is high cost as the Japanese military buys small numbers. As such the R&D cost plus Industrial overhead is high. Consider Mitsubishi F2 it cost about $100 million a unit for 96 aircraft. Then look at F35A which started over $100 million a fighter and today $79 million. This disparity is due to numbers and PPP. Obviously both the US and Japan are high end economies with high pay for workers. However F16 has a fairly low cost for manufacturing had the Japanese bought F16 it would have been significantly cheaper. By creating the F2 program in joint with the US and insisting up Japanese based manufacturing of parts as well as the extensive modular to the design F2 ended up with a higher cost point.
On the other hand… Sometimes it’s all about the industry. That industry allows the Japanese to keep on the cutting edge. Example why if Korea making the KF-X? They could just buy fighters from abroad. So why? Because they want to have the capacity of their own.
 
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