South Korea’s state arms procurement agency has signed a procurement contract for 100 Meteor air-to-air missiles for the forthcoming KF-21 Boramae fighter jets.
The deal was signed with MBDA last week with supply coinciding with the aircraft’s first production phase, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing a Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) official.
The KF-21’s production commenced earlier this year as an intended replacement for the Republic of Korea Air Force’s aging F-4 and F-5 fleets.
The first phase will see the production of 20 aircraft, with induction expected in late 2026.
Over 130 aircraft are expected to be produced by 2032.
Considered one of the world’s best beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, the Meteor has a range of over 200 kilometers (124 miles) and a no-escape zone of 60 kilometers (37 miles), the largest of any air-to-air missile.
The ramjet-powered missile is guided by an advanced active radar seeker and can engage a wide variety of targets, including agile fast jets, small drones, and cruise missiles.
It is equipped with both impact and proximity fuses and a fragmentation warhead.