Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T Missile Fired from S.Korean KF-21 for the First Time

Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile (AIM-2000) has been fired for the first time as a guided missile from Korea Aerospace Industries' (KAI) KF-21, South Korea’s 4.5th generation indigenous fighter currently under development.

The firing this month follows a series of previous achievements in testing IRIS-T on the KF-21. Just a few months after the first flight of the aircraft in early 2023, a safe separation test was conducted by firing an unguided missile in flight in May 2023. Now, in May 2024, the missile was designated by the onboard Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, engaging the target drone. This comprehensive end-to-end test validates the initial air-to-air capability of the fighter and underscores the performance of the IRIS-T.

With its upcoming integration into the KF-21, IRIS-T demonstrates its compatibility with both legacy and modern fighter aircraft. In February 2024, KAI and Diehl Defence agreed to commence the integration of IRIS-T into KAI’s FA-50. Equipped with IRIS-T, both platforms, KF-21 and FA-50, will be prepared for missions.

To date, IRIS-T has been integrated into combat aircraft platforms such as the Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter Typhoon, JAS-39 Gripen, F-16, EF-18, and F-5.