KF-21 Flight Mission Unit, 'Person Who Shined in the Air Force This Year'

Black Eagles Receive Award in Sports and Culture Category

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] This year, the personnel who completed the first flight mission of the domestically produced supersonic fighter KF-21 were selected as the 'Figures Who Shined the Air Force.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 30th, the Air Force held the '2022 Figures Who Shined the Air Force Awards Ceremony' in the morning at the Air Force Headquarters main conference room, presided over by Chief of Staff Jung Sang-hwa, awarding plaques and prize money to three individuals and four teams in seven categories including 'Combat Power Development.'

In the 'Combat Power Development' category, which awards individuals or groups who contributed to improving operational systems for efficient mission execution and weapon system operationalization, the 52nd Test and Evaluation Squadron was selected. The 52nd Test and Evaluation Squadron was recognized for significantly contributing to aerospace power construction and the development of the Republic of Korea's defense industry by successfully completing the first flight of the Korean fighter KF-21.

The '53rd Special Flight Squadron Black Eagles,' who showcased the excellence of the Republic of Korea Air Force and domestically produced aircraft worldwide, received the award in the 'Sports and Culture' category. The Black Eagles participated in the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) airshow in the UK, the world's largest military airshow, for the first time in 10 years last July, winning both the Best Award and Popularity Award simultaneously once again. They performed at airshows in Poland, Egypt, and the Philippines, serving as military diplomatic envoys and contributing to defense and defense industry cooperation.

Sergeant Park Jong-gu (Jin), who achieved traffic safety improvements by addressing traffic accident risk factors inside and outside the unit, was selected in the 'Organizational Operation' category. Major Kim Seong-ho, who independently developed a spatial disorientation (flight illusion) training simulator, was selected in the 'New Knowledge and Informatization' category. In the 'Sacrifice and Service' category, the Air Force Education Command Logistics 1 School, which has continuously donated to the Children's Foundation for over 25 years and has been volunteering for veterans and vulnerable families for 12 years, was awarded. Korea Gas Safety Corporation, which contributed to establishing safety management infrastructure for Air Force pipelines, received the award in the 'Cooperation' category.

Lieutenant General Scott L. Pleus, Commander of the U.S. 7th Air Force, who led the deployment of strategic assets such as B-52, B-1B, and F-22 to the Korean Peninsula, demonstrated the combined defense posture of South Korea and the U.S., and enhanced interoperability and joint operational capabilities of the ROK and U.S. Air Forces through realistic joint exercises, thereby contributing to strengthening the ROK-U.S. combined defense posture, was selected as the recipient in the 'Special' category.

Additionally, the Figures Who Shined the Air Force Awards Ceremony began in 2001 and was held for the 22nd time this year.