The flight took place on Oct. 23 and involved a KF-21 assigned to the 156th Fighter Squadron under the South Korean Air Force's 16th Fighter Wing.
The U.S. Air Force deployed a U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft from the 5th Reconnaissance Squadron, along with F-35 and F-16 fighter jets. South Korea participated with its KF-21, F-35, F-15K and FA-50 fighters.
The formation flight marked the first time the KF-21 had flown alongside U.S. Air Force aircraft, providing an opportunity for the newly developed fighter to gain experience operating with allied air assets.
The flight was conducted ahead of Freedom Flag, a large-scale joint air exercise launched by South Korea and the United States on Oct. 26 to strengthen their combined operational capabilities and interoperability.
"The KF-21 was not an official participant in Freedom Flag, but it conducted the formation flight as an observer to gain experience in combined air operations," a South Korean Air Force official said.
The KF-21 is South Korea's first domestically developed supersonic fighter jet, designed to replace the Air Force's aging F-4 and F-5 aircraft.
Development began in 2015 and was completed in June this year, marking a major milestone in the country's efforts to strengthen its domestic aerospace and defense capabilities.
The first mass-produced KF-21 was delivered to the Air Force in September and assigned to the 16th Fighter Wing at Yecheon Air Base, with additional aircraft scheduled to enter service gradually.
The fighter is expected to begin operational deployment in the second half of 2027 as the Air Force expands pilot training and establishes the necessary maintenance and operational systems.
South Korea plans to introduce more than 100 KF-21 fighters by the early 2030s, positioning the aircraft as a key component of its future air combat fleet.
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