한국 공군, F-5를 2027년 말에 퇴역시킬 것

[위종민]

공참총장이 F-5를 내년 말까지 모두 퇴역시키겠다고 발표했습니다. 

현재 50대 가량 운용되는 걸로 아는데, 이걸 내년까지 빼버리면 내년에 KF-21이 많아봐야 열 대나 전력화되려나요? 40대 가량 비는데 이래도 되는 건가.. 

공군 "노후 F-5 전투기 퇴역 내년으로‥AI 기반 표적 관리체계 구축"

공군 "노후 F-5 전투기 퇴역 내년으로‥AI 기반 표적 관리체계 구축"

한국, KF-21 배치 임박에 따라 2027년 말까지 F-5 전투기 퇴역 예정
작성자
Jean Carmela Lim
편집
Emma Yates-Badley
16시간 전
DefenseUntitled design (68)

ROK Ministry of National Defense / Wikipedia

한국은 자국 최초 국산 전투기 KF-21의 실전 배치가 가까워짐에 따라 노후 F-5 전투기 기단을 2027년 말까지 퇴역시킬 준비를 하고 있다.

2026년 5월 14일 Korea Herald 보도에 따르면, 공군참모총장 손석락 대장은 경기도 성남에서 열린 기자회견에서 이 같은 조기 퇴역 일정을 발표했다.

손 총장은 군이 F-5가 2027년 말 이전 “명예롭게” 퇴역할 수 있도록 준비 중이라고 밝혔다. 한국은 1965년 미국산 Northrop F-5A/B를 처음 도입했으며, 1970년대에는 F-5E 계열을 배치했다.

KF-21, 실전 배치 임박

이번 발표는 한국이 한국항공우주산업(KAI)이 개발한 4.5세대 전투기 KF-21의 주요 이정표에 근접한 가운데 나왔다. 해당 기체는 2022년 7월 첫 시험비행을 완료했으며, 이달 초 최종 전투적합 판정을 받았다. 공군 인도는 9월 초 시작될 예정이다.

KAI 김종철 사장은 2026년 3월 25일 출고된 첫 양산형 KF-21이 2026년 4월 초도비행을 완료했으며, 현재 인도 전 시험비행을 진행 중이라고 밝혔다. 그는 이 프로그램이 한국 방산산업의 전환점이라고 평가하며, 자국산 항공기 플랫폼 보유를 통해 국내 개발 무장을 시험·통합할 수 있게 되었고, 이는 한국산 미사일을 장착한 전투기 수출로 이어질 수 있다고 설명했다.

KAI에 따르면 해당 프로그램은 13,000개 이상의 시험 조건을 완료했으며, 약 1,600회의 비행을 사고 없이 수행했다. 회사는 연간 20대 이상 생산을 예상하고 있으며, 추가 투자가 이뤄질 경우 연간 생산량은 30~40대까지 확대될 수 있다고 밝혔다.

김 사장은 또한 KAI가 해외에서 200대 이상의 KF-21 수요 가능성을 보고 있으며, 인도네시아·필리핀·말레이시아·폴란드와 논의가 진행 중이라고 말했다. 회사는 또한 UAE 및 사우디아라비아와 미래 개발 협력에 대해서도 협의 중이라고 밝혔다.

비용 압박과 잠재적 지연

프로그램은 진전을 보이고 있지만, 과제도 존재한다. Block-II로 알려진 두 번째 생산 단계 비용은 현재 18조4,400억 원(125억 달러)으로 예상되며, 이는 2024년 원래 추정치였던 14조2,400억 원(105억 달러)보다 약 30% 증가한 수치다.

방위사업청은 비용 증가 원인으로 인플레이션, 원화 약세, 글로벌 공급망 교란을 지목했다.

KF-21 프로그램은 노후 F-4 및 F-5 기단 대체를 목표로 2015년 시작되었다. 첫 시제기는 2021년 공개되었다. 초기 Block-I 단계에서는 공대공 전투 중심의 40대가 2028년까지 생산될 예정이다. Block-II 단계에서는 장거리 공대지미사일을 장착한 추가 80대를 2032년까지 배치하는 것이 목표다.

그러나 비용 상승으로 인해 일정이 지연될 가능성이 있다. 관계자들은 첫 40대 인도를 1년 연기해 2029년으로 미루는 방안을 검토 중이며, 두 번째 물량은 원래 계획보다 2~3년 늦게 실전 배치될 수 있다고 전해졌다.

KF-21은 최대 마하 1.81 속도와 2,900km 항속거리를 갖춘 초음속 전투기다. AESA(능동전자주사배열) 레이더를 장착하고 있으며, 향후 스텔스 성능 업그레이드를 수용할 수 있도록 설계되었다.

South Korea to retire F-5 jets by 2027 as KF-21 nears debut

South Korea to retire F-5 jets by 2027 as KF-21 nears debut

South Korea to retire F-5 jets by end of 2027 as KF-21 deployment nears

ByJean Carmela Lim

Edited ByEmma Yates-Badley

16 hours ago

Defense

ROK Ministry of National Defense / Wikipedia

South Korea is preparing to retire its aging fleet of F-5 fighter jets by the end of 2027 as it moves closer to fielding its first domestically developed combat aircraft, the KF-21.

The Korea Herald reported on May 14, 2026, that Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Son Seok-rak announced the accelerated retirement timeline during a press conference in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. 

Son said the military is working to ensure the F-5 retires “honorably” before the end of 2027. South Korea first acquired the US-built Northrop F-5A/B in 1965 and introduced F-5E variants in the 1970s.

KF-21 nears operational deployment

The announcement comes as South Korea approaches a major milestone with the KF-21, a 4.5-generation fighter developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The aircraft completed its first test flight in July 2022 and received final combat suitability approval earlier this month. Delivery to the Air Force is expected to begin in early September.

KAI CEO Kim Jong-chul said the first mass-produced KF-21, rolled out on March 25, 2026 completed its maiden flight in April 2026 and is currently undergoing test flights ahead of delivery. He described the program as a turning point for South Korea’s defense industry, noting that having an indigenous aircraft platform allows the country to test and integrate domestically developed weapons, paving the way for exports of fighters equipped with Korean-made missiles.

According to KAI, the program has completed more than 13,000 test conditions and logged around 1,600 sorties without incident. The company expects to produce more than 20 aircraft per year and said output could reach 30 to 40 units annually with additional investment.

Kim added that KAI sees potential overseas demand for more than 200 KF-21s, with discussions underway with Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Poland. The company is also in talks with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on partnerships for future development.

Cost pressures and potential delays

While the program is progressing, it is not without challenges. The second phase of production, known as Block-II, is now projected to cost KRW 18.44 trillion (US$12.5 billion), nearly 30% higher than the original 2024 estimate of KRW 14.24 trillion (US$10.5 billion). 

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration attributed the increase to inflation, a weakening Korean currency, and global supply chain disruptions.

The KF-21 program was launched in 2015 with the goal of replacing South Korea’s aging F-4 and F-5 fleets. The first prototype was unveiled in 2021. Under the initial Block-I phase, 40 aircraft focused on air-to-air combat are scheduled for production by 2028. Block-II aims to deliver 80 additional fighters equipped with long-range air-to-ground missiles by 2032.

However, rising costs may push back these timelines. Officials are reportedly considering delaying delivery of the first 40 jets by one year to 2029, while the second batch could enter service two to three years later than originally planned.

The KF-21 is a supersonic fighter capable of speeds up to Mach 1.81 with a range of 2,900 kilometers. It is equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar and is designed to accommodate future stealth upgrades.

[여행자김씨]

F-35 100대 채우면 되겠죠 뭐

[정명기]

국내에서 무인기나 대공미사일 F-5 정도의 역할은 수행할 수 있다고 판단한걸까요?
혹은 그간 업그레이드 된 KF-16으로 인해 F-5 정도의 전력은 없어도 된다고 본 것일수도 있겠습니다.
KF-21의 양산이 늦춰진다는데, 정작 F-5가 조기 퇴역 한다니 뭔가 알 수가 없네요.

F-5를 어딘가에 국산 신조기와 세트메뉴로 팔아먹으면 좋겠군요.

[위종민]

유인기 보유대수가 순식간에 10% 이상 빠져버리면 파일럿들 인사관리도 꽤나 힘들어질 것 같은데 어떻게 될 지 모르겠습니다.

[ssn688]

초기분 40대가 계획대로 2028년까지 도입된다면, 아구는 맞지 않을까요? 2027년 중에 F-5 부대 퇴역 → 일부 도입된 KF-21로 기종전환...

[위종민]

https://www.sedaily.com/article/20037312

원래 40대를 2028년까지 도입할 예정이었는데 이걸 2029년까지 미루고, 2032년까지 80대 도입할 예정이었는데 이걸 2036년까지 미룬다고 하는 것 같습니다. 방사청장이 공참총장과 '논의'를 했다고 하는데, 사실상 통보가 아닐까 싶기도..

[여행자김씨]

그래도 일부 공백은 생길 가능성이 있으니 F-35 100대를 도입하는 것이 현명한 선택이지 않을까싶군요