[Military Story] The Supersonic Fighter Jet Development Race Among Countries Worldwide

Discussion on Joint Development of 6th Generation Fighter Jet with Saudi Arabia
Following KF-21, the 6th Generation Fighter Jet Will Appear

Our government and Saudi Arabia are actively discussing the joint development of 6th-generation fighter jets. Recently, the global defense market has seen intense competition in supersonic fighter jet development. The F-15 and F-16 (USA), Eurofighter (Europe), and J-10 (China), which are widely used worldwide, are classified as 4th-generation fighters, while the latest stealth fighters such as the SU-57 (Russia) and J-20 (China) are classified as 5th-generation. The KF-21 Boramae being developed by Korea corresponds to a 4.5-generation fighter, positioned between the 4th and 5th generations, while Turkey, India, and Sweden are also developing 5th-generation fighters.

The attack-type unmanned combat aerial vehicle Gaori-X2 can be equipped with Korean-style medium-range guided bombs, earning it the nickname "Mini B-2 Bomber."

The government plans to enter the development of the 6th-generation manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) system immediately after the KF-21 stealth fighter development by jointly developing the 6th-generation fighter with Saudi Arabia. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) intends to focus on developing a multipurpose unmanned platform by 2025, then integrating it with the FA-50 light attack aircraft to develop core technologies for next-generation AI-based aerial combat systems. The unmanned aircraft flying alongside the KF-21 is expected to be handled by Korean Air. Korean Air developed the unmanned aircraft Gauri-X1 in 2014. The Gauri-X1, a large unmanned combat aircraft scaled down to 46% of a 10.4m length, 14.8m wingspan, and 10-ton weight, flew 50 km in 1 hour and 30 minutes, opening possibilities for unmanned combat aircraft development.

Formation of Unmanned Squadrons with Unmanned Reconnaissance and Bomber Development

Korean Air plans to further develop ‘unmanned squadrons’ and ‘stealth unmanned reconnaissance aircraft’ using the Gauri-X1. The unmanned squadron enables manned-unmanned cooperative functions called ‘MUM-T.’ Before a manned fighter jet infiltrates enemy territory, the stealth unmanned squadron takes the lead. It can engage in combat or perform reconnaissance missions ahead. Naturally, the life of the fighter pilot is protected. Since unmanned aircraft are deployed simultaneously with manned aircraft, they can respond to sudden situations. The unmanned squadron is scheduled for its first flight in 2025 and will conduct joint manned-unmanned operations with government-owned manned aircraft in 2027.

The attack-type unmanned combat aircraft is the Gauri-X2. It can be equipped with Korean mid-range guided bombs and is called a ‘mini B-2 bomber.’ To carry weapons, it is expected to be equipped with a 5,500-pound class turbofan engine currently under development for stealth unmanned aircraft. Stealth unmanned combat aircraft engines developed by the U.S. and others are equipped with 10,000-pound class engines. Overseas, weapon systems are competitively being developed where unmanned aircraft form squadrons centered on manned fighter jets to perform escort, reconnaissance, and other missions together.

Advanced Countries Are Already Developing Manned-Unmanned Combat Systems

Worldwide, there is a trend to develop manned-unmanned composite combat systems. The UK, Italy, and Japan signed the ‘Global Combat Air Program (GCAP)’ treaty last year to jointly develop 6th-generation fighters. GCAP plans to deploy fighters with greatly enhanced supersonic performance and radar detection capabilities by 2035. Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in participating in GCAP several times. In July last year, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to convey this intention. However, Japan reportedly opposed the idea, citing that much work had already been completed and the schedule to complete the project by 2035 was tight. In Europe, Germany leads France and Spain in developing the 6th-generation fighter ‘Future Combat Air System (FCAS),’ with the first test flight scheduled for 2029.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

GCAP, unveiled in December last year, combines the UK-Italy 6th-generation fighter development plan ‘Tempest’ and Japan’s next-generation fighter development plan ‘F-X,’ and is expected to replace each country’s main fighters such as the Eurofighter Typhoon (UK-Italy) and F-2 (Japan). The GCAP joint civil-military headquarters is located in the UK. However, the first heads of government and corporate agencies are designated as Japanese and Italian, respectively. Defense contractors participating in the development program include Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, UK’s BAE Systems, Italy’s Leonardo, and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Fighter development is one of the most costly defense projects, requiring astronomical budgets over decades. The defense ministers of the three countries agreed to divide development tasks proportionally according to each country’s financial and technological contributions under the principle of ‘equal partnership.’

The exact total project cost required for GCAP has not been disclosed but is estimated to reach trillions of won. The UK government invested ?2 billion (about 3.2 trillion KRW) in the existing Tempest program. The Japanese Ministry of Defense plans to request an allocation of 72.6 billion yen (about 60 billion KRW) for the GCAP project in the 2024-2025 fiscal year budget.

Europe Also Joins Hands in 6th-Generation Fighter Development

The three countries have finalized the 6th-generation fighter development concept and completed feasibility assessments, planning to start full-scale development by 2025 at the latest. They plan to develop fighters twice as fast as the Eurofighter Typhoon’s speed (2,495 km/h) and airborne radar providing 10,000 times more data. AI technology and drones, typically cited as features of 6th-generation fighters, are also expected to be introduced.

In Europe, under Germany’s leadership, France and Spain are jointly developing the 6th-generation fighter ‘Future Combat Air System (FCAS).’ The FCAS plan, involving leading European aerospace and defense companies such as Dassault, Airbus, Indra Sistemas, and MTU, is scheduled for its first test flight in 2029 and initial deployment from 2040, replacing the Rafale and Eurofighter currently operated in Europe. Plans are also being considered to develop existing unmanned aircraft into unmanned combat aircraft and operate unmanned squadrons jointly with FCAS as the mothership.

The United States, possessing the world’s strongest air force, announced in May last year that it would begin developing a 6th-generation fighter. Named the ‘Next Generation Air Dominance’ (NGAD) platform, this fighter will incorporate America’s cutting-edge technologies such as multi-channel radar, laser weapons, adaptive cycle engines, and AI-applied electronic systems to counter future threats from the Chinese Air Force. The U.S. next-generation fighter is expected to replace the F-22 starting in 2030.