In a move with far-reaching implications for global defence alignment and regional airpower dynamics, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates have formalised a major military agreement centered on Seoul’s next-generation KF-21 Boramae fighter aircraft. Signed during a high-level visit by UAE Air Force and Air Defence Commander, Major General Rashed Mohammed A. Al Shamsi, to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) headquarters in Sacheon, the agreement marks a major step forward in bilateral defence cooperation and possibly signals a tectonic shift in the KF-21 programme’s future development partners.
South Korea’s military officials, including Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Chief of Staff, General Lee Young-su, were present during the signing, which cements the UAE’s involvement in the KF-21 programme through strategic observation, collaborative engagement, and semi-annual joint meetings. This move significantly raises the prospect that the UAE could eventually replace Indonesia as a full development partner in the KF-21 project — a proposition gaining traction due to Jakarta’s ongoing financial lapses.
Indonesia currently holds a 20% stake in the KF-21’s development, committed under a joint agreement with South Korea in 2010. However, Jakarta has repeatedly defaulted on its financial obligations, reportedly falling behind by hundreds of millions of dollars. Friction over missed payments has strained the relationship, and with Indonesia’s long-term commitment in doubt, Seoul is exploring alternatives to safeguard the momentum of its flagship defence project.
The UAE’s increasing proximity to the KF-21 effort could present a clean break. Unlike Indonesia, the UAE has both the financial muscle and the strategic motivation to become a serious partner. As one of the Gulf’s most assertive military investors, Abu Dhabi has steadily moved to diversify its procurement portfolio, increasingly looking eastward in pursuit of technologically advanced and politically agile partners. The KF-21 fits this ambition.
The KF-21 Boramae represents South Korea’s boldest attempt yet to establish itself as a global aerospace innovator. Categorised as a 4.5-generation multirole fighter, the aircraft is designed to bridge the gap between fourth-generation fighters like the F-16 and cutting-edge fifth-generation platforms such as the F-35. With its first mass-production batch of 20 units approved in 2024, the aircraft is expected to enter operational service by 2026.
Developed by KAI with significant input from South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD), the KF-21 boasts a composite airframe and low radar cross-section. It incorporates twin General Electric F414 engines, offering speeds up to Mach 1.8, and is equipped with Hanwha Systems’ Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. The AESA system enables precise tracking of multiple targets, electronic counter-resistance, and all-weather surveillance — core requirements for modern aerial combat.
With over 1,000 successful flight tests completed — including high-risk maneuvers like aerial refueling at night and live-fire missile drills — the KF-21 is quickly closing the gap with more established Western platforms. It has already demonstrated compatibility with advanced weapons systems such as the European Meteor BVRAAM and the AIM-2000 missile, boosting its multi-mission flexibility.
Three variants are currently under development:
- KF-21EA for electronic warfare roles,
- KF-21EX with enhanced stealth and sensor integration,
- KF-21SA, a tailored export version for global partners — possibly including the UAE.
The UAE’s deepening interest in the KF-21 aligns with its broader push to build a diversified, self-reliant, and technologically advanced military force. The decision to work closely with South Korea — a non-traditional but increasingly influential defence exporter — is significant.
Traditionally dependent on U.S., French, and Russian systems, the UAE has in recent years started to tilt toward non-Western suppliers, driven partly by geopolitics and partly by a desire to avoid overreliance on any single power. The KF-21, still early in its export phase and unburdened by geopolitical baggage, offers the UAE not only technological capabilities but also political flexibility.
This isn’t Abu Dhabi’s first major bet on Korean military tech. In 2022, the UAE signed a $3.5 billion agreement for the Cheongung-II (KM-SAM Block II) surface-to-air missile system — an advanced mobile air defence solution developed by LIG Nex1 and the ADD.
The KM-SAM Block II, also known as Cheongung-II, is designed to intercept both aircraft and ballistic missiles at ranges up to 40 kilometres and altitudes of up to 15 kilometres. It incorporates radar and missile components drawing on hybrid designs — a blend of Russian intercept doctrine (influenced by collaboration with Almaz-Antey, creators of the S-400) and South Korean indigenous innovation.
The radar system, built by Hanwha Systems, uses an X-band 3D Passive Electronically Scanned Array (PESA) to track up to 40 targets simultaneously at a range of 100 kilometres. Launch systems, supplied by Hanwha Aerospace, are mounted on mobile Transporter Erector Launchers (TELs), capable of rapid deployment and volley fire. This makes the KM-SAM an ideal middle-tier solution within a multi-layered air defence setup — critical in a high-threat environment such as the Gulf, where ballistic and drone threats are on the rise.
With its purchase of the KM-SAM Block II, the UAE became the first foreign nation to deploy South Korea’s most sophisticated air defence architecture. That deal was seen as a landmark in Seoul’s ambitions to transform from a net importer to a global exporter of cutting-edge defence systems.
What makes the new KF-21 agreement more than just a commercial pact is the strategic convergence it represents. South Korea, eager to hedge against Indonesia’s faltering commitment, finds in the UAE a wealthy, politically aligned, and strategically motivated partner. Meanwhile, the UAE sees in South Korea not just an arms supplier, but a collaborative partner capable of offering technology transfer, training, and customised solutions without the strings attached that typically accompany Western or Russian systems.
The semi-annual bilateral meetings, joint observational exercises, and reciprocal base visits set out in the agreement are not just symbolic. They institutionalise a structure for long-term military alignment. Over time, this could evolve into co-development efforts, joint production lines, and even export coordination — particularly if the KF-21SA variant is optimised for the Middle Eastern environment.
The UAE’s increasing tilt toward Asian defence partners comes as Gulf states navigate a shifting global security environment. The U.S. remains a dominant player in the region, but its pivot to the Indo-Pacific and domestic political unpredictability have raised doubts about long-term strategic reliability. Meanwhile, European suppliers face production backlogs and tightening export controls, while Russian options have been constrained by sanctions and shifting priorities due to the war in Ukraine.
In this vacuum, countries like South Korea — and to a lesser extent, Turkey and China — have emerged as agile, well-resourced alternatives. They offer modern systems, flexible financing, and fewer diplomatic strings. For Seoul, the Gulf offers a highly lucrative, strategically significant export market. For the UAE, these partnerships offer diversification, leverage, and access to emerging military technologies on favourable terms.
The question now is whether the UAE will formally join the KF-21 development consortium. If so, it could bring in funding to offset Indonesia’s arrears, while also opening up the aircraft to a broader export market — potentially including other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.
Moreover, joint development could catalyse deeper industrial cooperation, including joint training programmes, technology transfer, and supply chain integration. Already, South Korean companies like Hanwha and LIG Nex1 are establishing broader regional footprints, including local partnerships and potential manufacturing facilities in the UAE.
At a time when global arms markets are being redefined by shifting alliances, geopolitical realignments, and new threats such as drones and hypersonic missiles, the KF-21 pact between Seoul and Abu Dhabi is more than just a weapons deal. It’s a marker of a changing defence landscape — one where mid-sized powers like South Korea and the UAE are increasingly acting with major-power autonomy.
The deepening military partnership between South Korea and the UAE around the KF-21 Boramae and the KM-SAM Block II missile system signals the start of a more complex, multipolar defence order. It reflects a strategic evolution by both nations: for South Korea, a move from regional power to global arms innovator; for the UAE, a calculated shift toward diversified, autonomous military capability.
