South Korea Joint Chiefs Endrose Home Built Fighter Jets

South Korea’s KF-X program costing up to $8.2 billion could soon be developed.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff endorsed a plan on Friday to design its mid-level fighter jet.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is to build the fighter jet after being co-developed with Lockheed Martin, sources said to Reuters.

The twin-engine fighter jet to be developed is slated for delivery starting in 2025. South Korea is also buying F-35 fighters from Lockheed Martin.

KAI has sold 12 T-50 variants to the Philippines for an approximate $420 million in March. Iraq and Indonesia are other two countries KAI has sold the jets.

However, the scope of Lockheed Martin's involvement in the program is still being negotiated; Indonesia also participated in earlier studies of the KF-X program and remains a potential partner, sources told Reuters.