Manufacturer catalog

Korea Aerospace Industries

Korea Aerospace Industries is South Korea's major aerospace manufacturer, building combat aircraft, trainers, helicopters, UAVs, and space systems that anchor the catalog's KAI-linked entries.

3 weapons

Korea Aerospace Industries is South Korea's leading aerospace company. KAI's own English materials describe it as a total-solution provider across fixed-wing aircraft, rotary-wing aircraft, UAVs, aerostructures, space, and after-market work, with a headquarters in Sacheon.

For this catalog, KAI matters because it is the manufacturer behind the catalog's FA-50PH entry and related aircraft families. The builder profile gives readers the industrial context while the weapon records carry the conflict-specific sourcing.

combat aircraftadvanced jet trainershelicoptersUAVsaerostructuresspace systems

Notable Systems

FA-50PH, Supersonic light combat aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs

FA-50 family

Supersonic light combat aircraft

KAI describes the FA-50 as a fighter-jet derivative of the T-50 trainer with tactical data link, precision guided munitions, and self-protection subsystems.

Sources: FA-50 fighter jet

T-50 family

KAI calls the T-50 Korea's first homegrown aircraft to train the next generation of fighter pilots and says FA-50, TA-50, and T-50B are derivatives of the line.

Sources: T-50 advanced jet trainer
KAI KF-21 Boramae, Fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs

KF-21 Boramae

Fighter aircraft

KAI's KF-21 page tracks the fighter program through first flight and the continuing production roadmap, underscoring the company's current combat-aircraft role.

Sources: KF-21

Manufacturer History

  1. KAI is established

    KAI's About page lists 1 October 1999 as the company's establishment date.

    Sources: About KAI

  2. FA-50 enters ROKAF service

    KAI's FA-50 page says the aircraft has been deployed and operated in the Republic of Korea Air Force since 2013.

    Sources: FA-50 fighter jet

  3. KF-21 first flight

    KAI's KF-21 page records the program's first flight on 19 July 2022.

    Sources: KF-21

Subsidiaries
KAEMSS&K AerospaceAviosys Technologies
Website links
Official websiteAbout KAIKAI historyFA-50 fighter jetT-50 advanced jet trainerKF-21Annual report

KAI's public English pages present the company as a broad aerospace manufacturer with a Sacheon headquarters and several subsidiary businesses. The profile keeps the data strictly to those public facts and uses a CC BY 2.0 Wikimedia Commons headquarters photo as the builder image.

Manufacturer Sources

  • About KAIPublisher: KAI Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. | Note: Supports KAI's official company description as a total-solution aerospace provider, its establishment date of 1 October 1999, and its current company profile. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Annual reportPublisher: KAI Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. | Note: Supports the Sacheon headquarters address and the listed subsidiary companies in KAI's annual-report page. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • FA-50 fighter jetPublisher: KAI Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. | Note: Supports the FA-50 family as a KAI-built fighter aircraft derivative with tactical data link, precision guided munitions, and self-protection subsystems. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • T-50 advanced jet trainerPublisher: KAI Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. | Note: Supports the T-50 family as KAI's advanced supersonic jet trainer line and its FA-50 and TA-50 derivative relationships. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • KF-21Publisher: KAI Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. | Note: Supports the KF-21 program as a KAI fighter-development effort and records the program's first flight milestone. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • KAI headquarters.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the reusable CC BY 2.0 image provenance for a photograph of KAI headquarters in Sacheon, which directly identifies the builder. | Accessed: 2026-06-21

Produced weapons

Category

Aircraft & UAVs

Crewed aircraft, drones, and loitering munitions.

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TF-50 Trainer Jet, Advanced trainer and light attack fighter proposal, Aircraft & UAVsTF-50 Trainer JetAdvanced trainer and light attack fighter proposalBuilt in: United States / South KoreaThe TF-50 Trainer Jet is Lockheed Martin's proposed advanced trainer and light attack fighter version of the KAI T-50 family. Lockheed markets the TF-50 as a production-ready path for faster fourth- and fifth-generation fighter training; the TF-50A was submitted for U.S. Air Force tactical training needs, while the TF-50N was a U.S. Navy trainer proposal before Lockheed withdrew from the 2026 UJTS solicitation.
FA-50PH, Supersonic light combat aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs2017 Battle of Marawi, 1968 Moro Conflict +1 moreFA-50PHSupersonic light combat aircraftBuilt in: South KoreaThe FA-50PH is the Philippine Air Force export variant of Korea Aerospace Industries' T-50/FA-50 family, a South Korean supersonic light combat aircraft derived from the T-50 advanced trainer. Philippine service includes Marawi close-air-support sorties in 2017, a 2025 combat-support mission against suspected New People's Army guerrillas, and an upgrade program for the surviving first-batch aircraft.