Republic of Korea Air Force F-35A Ordered

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration signed a letter of acceptance with the United States for twenty additional F-35A fighters, following American approval of the sale in September 2023. The agency disclosed the December agreement later that month and said deliveries would begin in 2027, taking the Republic of Korea Air Force's F-35A fleet to fifty-nine aircraft. The second batch forms part of the country's response to North Korean missile and air capabilities, and complements a force built around the F-15K and the licence-assembled KF-16 while the indigenous KF-21 moves toward production.