In Peru, the South Korean KF-21 fighter was presented at the SITDEF 2021 arms exhibition. It is called an analogue of the newest Russian aircraft Checkmate.
In Latin America, the KF-21 was shown for the first time, TASS reports. The South Korean fighter is equipped with two engines with a total thrust of 20 thousand kilograms, this is its difference from the Checkmate, which has one engine. The presentation was also informed about the take-off weight, it is 25.6 thousand kilograms. The estimated maximum speed is 2.2 thousand kilometers per hour. The aircraft will be able to carry up to 7,7 thousand kilograms of payload.
The KF-21 armament will be located on ten suspension points. And he will also receive a radar station with an active phased array antenna. The aircraft will be both single and double.
The Checkmate light fighter was first demonstrated at the International Aviation and Space Salon in 2021. It is assumed that the plane will take to the sky in 2023. As RG wrote, among the advantages of the novelty are powerful weapons, low maintenance costs and the possibility of taking off from unequipped airfields.
Svetlana Tsygankova