Republic of Korea Air Force


The Republic of Korea Air Force, also known as the ROK Air Force or South Korean Air Force, is the aerial and space warfare service branch of South Korea, operating under the South Korean Ministry of National Defense.

History

1940s

Shortly after the end of World War II, the South Korean Air Construction Association was founded on 10 August 1946, to publicize the importance of air power. Despite the then-scanty status of Korean armed forces, the first air unit was formed on 5 May 1948, under the direction of Dong Wi-bu, the forerunner to the modern South Korean Ministry of National Defense. On 13 September 1949, the United States contributed 10 L-4 Grasshopper observation aircraft to the South Korean air unit. An Army Air Academy was founded in January 1949, and the ROKAF was officially founded in October 1949.

1950s

The 1950s were a critical time for the ROKAF as it expanded tremendously during the Korean War. At the outbreak of the war, the ROKAF consisted of 1,800 personnel but was equipped with only 20 trainers and liaison aircraft, including 10 North American T-6 Texan advanced trainers purchased from Canada. The North Korean Air Force had acquired a considerable number of Yak-9 and La-7 fighters from the Soviet Union, dwarfing the ROKAF in terms of size and strength. During the war, though, the ROKAF acquired 110 aircraft - 79 fighter-bombers, three fighter squadrons, and one fighter wing. The first combat aircraft received was North American F-51D Mustangs, along with a contingent of US Air Force instructor pilots under the command of Major Dean Hess, as part of Bout One Project. The ROKAF participated in bombing operations and flew independent sorties. After the war, the ROKAF Headquarters were moved to Daebangdong, Seoul. Air Force University was also founded in 1956. In 1953, ROKAF Technical School developed a liaison aircraft named Buhwal-ho, which is the first domestic-developed powered aircraft of Korea.

1960s

To counter the threat of possible North Korean aggression, the ROKAF underwent a substantial capability enhancement. The ROKAF acquired North American T-28 Trojan trainers, North American F-86D Sabre night- and all-weather interceptors, Northrop F-5 fighters and McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom fighter bombers. Air Force Operations Command was established in 1961 to secure efficient command and control facilities. Air Force Logistics Command was established in 1966, and emergency runways were constructed for emergency use during wartime. The Eunma Unit was founded in 1966 to operate Curtiss C-46 Commando transport aircraft used to support Republic of Korea Army and Republic of Korea Marine Corps units serving in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

1970s

The ROKAF was posed with a security risk, with an increasingly belligerent North Korea throughout the 1970s. The South Korean government increased its expenditure on the ROKAF, resulting in the purchase of Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighters in August 1974 and F-4E fighter-bombers. Support aircraft, such as Fairchild C-123 Providers and Grumman S-2 Trackers were also purchased at the time. Great emphasis was placed on the flight training program; new trainer aircraft were purchased, and the Air Force Education & Training Command was also founded in 1973 to consolidate and enhance the quality of personnel training.

1980s

The ROKAF concentrated on the qualitative expansion of aircraft to catch up to the strength of the North Korean Air Force. In 1982, Korean variants of the F-5E, the Jegong-ho were first produced. The ROKAF gathered a good deal of information on the North Korean Air Force when Captain Lee Woong-Pyeong, a North Korean pilot, defected to South Korea. The Korean Combat Operations Information Center was soon formed and the Air Defence System was automated to attain air superiority against North Korea. When the 1988 Seoul Olympics was held in South Korea, the ROKAF contributed to the success of this event by helping to oversee the entire security system. The ROKAF also moved its headquarters and the Air Force Education & Training Command to other locations. 40 General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters were also purchased in 1989.

1990s

South Korea committed its support for coalition forces during the Persian Gulf War, forming the "Bima Unit" to fight in the war. The ROKAF also provided airlift support for peacekeeping operations in Somalia in 1993. The increased participation in international operations depicted the ROKAF's elevated international position. Over 180 KF-16 fighters of F-16 Block 52 specifications were introduced as part of the Peace Bridge II & III program in 1994. In 1997, for the first time in Korean aviation history, female cadets were accepted into the Korean Air Force Academy.

2000s

The last of the old South Korean 60 F-5A/B fighters were all retired in August 2007, and they were replaced with the F-15K and F/A-50. On 20 October 2009, Bruce S. Lemkin, deputy undersecretary of the U.S. Air Force, said that the ROKAF's limited intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities increased the risk of instability on the Korean Peninsula and suggested the purchase of American systems such as the F-35 Lightning II to close this gap.

2010s

The South Korean Air Force also expressed interest in acquiring the RQ-4 Global Hawk remotely piloted vehicle and several Joint Direct Attack Munition conversion kits to further improve its intelligence and offensive capabilities. In 2014, Northrop Grumman awarded a contract to provide South Korea with four RQ-4 Global. The South Korean Air Force acquired 40 F-35s and +20 additional F-35.

2020s

In 2021, the Space Operations Center was established at the Air Force Headquarters.
On 22 October 2023, the ROKAF conducted its first-ever trilateral exercise with the United States and Japanese air forces near the Korean Peninsula.
On 7 June 2024, F-4E Phantom II, which were deployed at the 10th Fighter Wing based in Suwon, were retired.
On 6 March 2025, a KF-16 accidentally released eight bombs over Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, injuring 15 people and damaging buildings and vehicles.

Organization

Republic of Korea Air Force Headquarters

  • Republic of Korea Air Force Headquarters
  • * 7th Air Force Communication Service Group, based at Pyeongtaek
  • * 35th Flight Group, based at Seongnam
  • * Air Force Test & Evaluation Wing, based at Sacheon
  • ** 281st Flight Test Squadron
  • * 53rd Air Demonstration Group, based at Wonju
  • * 91st Civil Engineer Group
  • * Air Force Aerospace Medical Center
  • * Air Force Weather Group
  • Air Force Operations Command
  • * Korean Air And Space Operations Center
  • *Air Combat Command
  • ** 1st Fighter Wing, based at Gwangju
  • ** 8th Fighter Wing, based at Wonju
  • ** 10th Fighter Wing, based at Suwon
  • ** 11th Fighter Wing, based at Daegu
  • ** 16th Fighter Wing, based at Yecheon
  • ** 17th Fighter Wing, based at Cheongju
  • ** 18th Fighter Wing, based at Gangneung
  • ** 19th Fighter Wing, based at Chungju
  • ** 20th Fighter Wing, based at Seosan
  • ** 29th Tactical Fighter Weapons Group, based at Cheongju
  • ** 38th Fighter Group, based at Gunsan
  • * Air Mobility & Reconnaissance Command
  • ** 3rd Flight Training Wing, based at Sacheon
  • *** 213th Flight Training Squadron
  • *** 215th Flight Training Squadron
  • *** 217th Flight Training Squadron
  • *** 236th Flight Training Squadron
  • ** 5th Air Mobility Wing, based at Gimhae
  • ** 15th Special Missions Wing, based at Seongnam
  • ** 39th Reconnaissance Wing, based at Chungju
  • ** 6th Search & Rescue Air Group, based at Cheongju
  • *** 231st Search and Rescue Squadron
  • *** 233th Search and Rescue Squadron
  • *** 235th Search and Rescue Squadron
  • *** Special search and Rescue squad
  • ** 28th Flight Group
  • ** 51st Air Control Flight Group, based at Gimhae
  • * Air & Missile Defense Command
  • ** 1st Air & Missile Defense Brigade
  • ** 2nd Air & Missile Defense Brigade
  • ** 3rd Air & Missile Defense Brigade
  • * Air Defense Control Command
  • ** 31st Air Defense Control Group
  • ** 32nd Air Defense Control Group
  • ** 33rd Air Defense Control Group
  • ** 34th Air Defense Control Group
  • Air Force Logistics Command
  • Air Force Education & Training Command
  • * Air Force Basic Military Training Wing, based at Sacheon
  • * Air Force Aviation Science High School
  • * Air Force 1st Logistics School
  • * Air Force 2nd Logistics School
  • * Information Communication School
  • * Administrative School
  • * Air Defence Artillery School
  • * Boramae Leadership Center
  • '''Air Force Academy'''

    Current major projects

KF-X future fighter program

The Korea Aerospace Industries KF-21 Boramae is a multi-role 4.5 generation fighter built By Korean KAI and Indonesian PT DI. It will have capabilities in between the light FA-50 fighter and the high-grade, long-range, heavy payload F-15K and F-35 Lightning II.

Mid-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (MUAV)

The indigenously developed KUS-FS, nicknamed MUAV or Korean Unmanned System, is designed for armed land and sea Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions with endurance of up to 24 hours. Its maiden flight was in 2012. Korean Air's Aerospace Division unveiled its MALE UAV in 2019 with LIG Nex1 SAR and Hanwha EO/IR sensors, aimed for serial production in 2021. It reportedly has a wider wingspan than the Reaper at 25 m and is powered by a 1200 hp Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop engine. South Korea will develop turbofan engines to be installed in high-performance unmanned aerial vehicles by 2025.

M-SAM Block II

In the spring of 2017 the PIP missile began its final tests, during which it shot down five of five practice ballistic missile targets. Seven are scheduled for deployment throughout South Korea by 2022.