CaliToday (29/10/2025): Following a successful partnership on the FA-50, Manila is now eyeing the 4.5-generation fighter, a platform KAI is positioning as a direct, affordable rival to China’s J-10 and FC-31 jets.
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| A KF-21 at the Aerospace and Defense Exhibition in Seoul, South Korea, October 21, 2023. Photo by Alexander Kelly |
The Philippines is in discussions with South Korea’s aerospace giant, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), for the potential acquisition of new fighter jets, a move that could significantly upgrade its air defense capabilities amid rising regional tensions.
As reported by the South China Morning Post on Monday, the discussions are focused on the KF-21 Boramae, South Korea's new 4.5-generation multirole fighter.
This interest comes just days after the Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2025, where a Philippine delegation was in attendance. During the event, the Republic of Korea Air Force flew the KF-21, drawing significant attention from military representatives across the region.
A Deepening Defense Partnership
A deal for the KF-21 would be a natural and massive step up from the Philippines' current relationship with KAI. The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has been a successful operator of KAI's FA-50 light combat aircraft, a platform that has become the backbone of its air defense.
The PAF has operated 12 FA-50s since 2014 and, earlier this year, placed an order for 12 more upgraded units. KAI is leveraging this successful partnership as a key selling point.
"We value the Philippine Air Force they already operate the FA-50... We are committed to supporting them in strengthening their capabilities," said Park Seonhee, KAI’s senior manager for international business development in Asia.
KAI is also emphasizing its proven reliability and "ready-to-fight" maintenance support, a critical factor for any modern air force.
“Our strong point is that we can keep the operational rate anytime more than 85 percent,” said Daeseo Park, a retired ROKAF colonel who now advises KAI’s global business division. “That means if something happens, then your FA-50 is ready to fight anytime, anywhere.”
The "Boramae": A Rival to Chinese Jets
The KF-21 Boramae (Korean for "Young Hawk") is not a light combat trainer; it is a serious, next-generation fighter. Scheduled to enter service by the end of 2026, it is explicitly designed to rival platforms like China’s J-10 and stealth FC-31 fighters.
KAI is positioning the KF-21 as a highly capable but affordable alternative for middle-power nations across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East that cannot access or afford top-tier American or European jets.
For the Philippines, which is in a continuous, tense standoff with Beijing over maritime sovereignty in the South China Sea, the allure of a capable, non-Western fighter designed to counter Chinese aircraft is obvious.
The "K-Defense" Appeal
Analysts note that South Korea’s rise as a defense exporter is no accident. It is built on a specific appeal to countries like the Philippines.
Vincent Kyle Parada, an Emerging Leaders Fellow at FACTS Asia and a former defense analyst for the Philippine Navy, told This Week in Asia that South Korean hardware has a strong reputation.
“They’re generally seen as reliable despite their lower cost relative to Western manufacturers,” Parada said. He added that geographic proximity is a major bonus: “Because they’re nearer, South Korean manufacturers can provide significant after-sales service support to regional clients, including tech transfers.”
While the Philippines has not confirmed the scope or scale of any potential KF-21 purchase, the talks highlight a significant deepening of defense ties between Manila and Seoul. It also reinforces South Korea's ambitious push to become one of the world's top four defense exporters, with Southeast Asia as its key target market.