The United Arab Emirates is eyeing South Korea’s most advanced fighter jet, the KF-21 Boramae, after canceling plans to acquire U.S. F-35 stealth fighters.
Newsweek has reached out to the Emirati Defense Ministry and South Korea’s Air Force for comment.
Why It Matters
South Korea is emerging as a major defense exporter. The UAE, another key U.S. ally, is weighing alternatives to American weapons, highlighting a shift among Arab nations toward suppliers such as South Korea, China, and Turkey, fueled by curbs on the F-35 program and mounting frustration over Washington’s failure to broker a Gaza ceasefire while continuing to offer Israel unwavering support.
What To Know
During talks on security and defense-industry cooperation, the UAE’s defense undersecretary inspected a prototype version of South Korea’s KF-21 at Sacheon Air Base and flew as a passenger in the rear seat of one of the aircraft, officials said.
In April, the two countries signed a letter of intent to pursue comprehensive cooperation on the KF-21 fighter jet program. The KF-21 Boramae, set to replace aging F-4 and F-5 jets, is being developed by Korea Aerospace Industries and the Korean Agency for Defense Development with partners including Lockheed Martin.
It has a 1,000 km combat range, carries air-to-air, air-to-surface, and anti-ship missiles plus guided and cluster bombs, as well as featuring semi-stealth characteristics, according to the National Security Journal, a defense platform.
The UAE announced plans to purchase 50 F-35 jets soon after normalizing ties with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords but canceled the deal because of U.S. security conditions, operational restrictions, and tensions over Emirati relations with China, prompting the Gulf nation to pursue a broader strategy of weapons diversification.
The UAE pledged to invest over $1 trillion in the U.S. economy over the next decade during President Donald Trump‘s visit to the country as part of a Gulf tour in May 2025.
South Korea accelerates plans for KF-21 Block 2 and maritime helicopter procurement. pic.twitter.com/Z87c31dfbd
— International Defence Analysis (@Defence_IDA) August 13, 2025
What People Are Saying
Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, UAE professor of political science and non-resident senior fellow at Harvard University, told Newsweek: “From now on the UAE is no longer bound by one source for modernizing its Armed Forces. This has come as a result of America being too demanding and being very political. I believe the F-35 deal triggered it massively. France is there, with little conditions, definitely less than the American ones, and now we also find out that in the east there’s a strong partner called South Korea.”
The Army Recognition Group defense news website says: “Compared to the F-35 Lightning II, the KF-21 offers less stealth and lacks full fifth-generation networking capability but compensates with significantly lower acquisition and operating costs, simplified maintenance and fewer export restrictions, which could be appealing to countries seeking operational independence.”
South Korea’s Air Force Chief of Staff General Lee Young-su said in February after a flight test, according to The Korean Times: “In terms of power, maneuverability, avionics and weapon capabilities, I am confident that the KF-21 will stand shoulder to shoulder with world-class fighter jets.”
What Happens Next
South Korea plans to roll out an upgraded KF-21EX variant with internal weapons bays and enhanced stealth features.
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