Indonesia to Receive KF-21 Prototype as Joint Fighter Project Nears Completion

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - As South Korea’s KF-21 fighter jet program approaches its final development stage, Indonesia is poised to receive one of the prototypes under a cost-sharing agreement that has defined the two countries’ defense partnership for more than a decade.

South Korean lawmaker Kang Dae-sik said on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, that Seoul and Jakarta had reached a principle agreement to hand over one of six KF-21 prototypes to Indonesia.

The single-seat aircraft, used for verification tests such as aerial refueling, was the focus of discussions held in February, according to documents from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

The transfer, valued at around 600 billion won (IDR 6.8 trillion), includes the fighter itself -- worth 350 billion won (IDR 3.9 trillion) -- alongside associated development costs.

The milestone comes as the joint KF-21 program is scheduled for completion in June, marking the end of a project launched in 2015 to build South Korea’s first domestically developed supersonic fighter. Indonesia joined as a partner under a cost-sharing scheme in exchange for technology transfer, prototype access, and other benefits.

DAPA is expected to finalize the delivery schedule and related technical documentation once Indonesia completes its financial contribution of 600 billion won. Initially, Jakarta had agreed to cover about 20 percent of total project costs but later sought to reduce its share in exchange for a lower level of technology transfer. The revised agreement was signed in June last year.

Alongside the prototype handover, Seoul is reportedly negotiating with Jakarta on a potential export deal for 16 KF-21 units, an arrangement that would mark the fighter’s first overseas sale. ***