As part of the development program for the future KAI KF-21 Boramae fighter, South Korea announced that a South Korean Air Force FA-50 light fighter successfully carried out the first test launch of the new K-ALCM cruise missile. According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the test took place on Monday, June 23, and aimed to verify proper communication between the missile, pylon, and aircraft during release within established operational safety parameters.
The KF-21 Boramae is a next-generation fighter being developed by South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in cooperation with Indonesia. It is intended to replace older aircraft in the South Korean Air Force, such as the U.S.-made F-4 Phantom II and F-5 Tiger. Launched in 2015, the program aims to acquire a total of 120 aircraft by 2032. As development and production progress, final assembly of the first KF-21 destined for the South Korean Air Force was recently confirmed.
A key aspect of the project is the future integration of air-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-surface weaponry. In this regard, the development of a new long-range cruise missile specifically designed for the KF-21 Boramae was announced in 2022. The system, known as “Cheonryong” (or “Blue Dragon”), involves a domestically produced missile with an estimated range of 500 kilometers, designed to be launched from the air to significantly enhance the precision strike capabilities of the future fighter.
Building on this, on Monday, June 23, a major milestone was achieved when a KAI FA-50 light fighter from the South Korean Air Force successfully completed the first separation test of the air-to-surface K-ALCM missile. As previously mentioned, the evaluation—conducted under the supervision of DAPA—aimed to confirm that the missile could safely detach from the aircraft without compromising structural integrity or pilot safety.
This type of test is crucial in the early stages of weapons integration, ensuring safe release before advancing to guidance, navigation, and terminal accuracy phases. DAPA has announced plans to continue additional K-ALCM testing using FA-50 aircraft as a testbed before transitioning to integration with the KF-21 prototype starting in 2027.
In terms of capabilities and features, the K-ALCM is being developed as a stealthy long-range cruise missile primarily intended for precision ground attack missions. It is also believed to feature anti-ship capabilities via infrared imaging (IIR) sensors and automatic target recognition (ATR) functions. This versatility places it in a category similar to U.S. missiles like the JASSM-ER or LRASM, though tailored for integration with domestically developed platforms like the KF-21 Boramae.
Technically, the missile incorporates TERCOM navigation, combined GNSS/INS positioning systems, and an advanced IIR seeker with image-based navigation (IBN) capabilities. It is powered by a high-performance turbofan engine and equipped with a penetrating warhead, making it ideal for striking hardened or high-value targets at long range.
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