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Bell Helicopter claims the AH-1Z as the only
attack helicopter in the world to be built specifically for marine
environments. (Courtesy of Bell Helicopter)
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By: Mike Yeo
MELBOURNE, Australia ― Bell Helicopter is positioning
itself to compete for South Korea’s upcoming amphibious attack helicopter
requirement, as the U.S. ally seeks to transform its own Marine Corps and
improve its capabilities.
Speaking to Defense News by phone from Seoul, where he is
attending the ADEX air show, Bell’s vice president of global business
development, Steve Mathias, said the company’s AH-1Z Viper is the only attack
helicopter in the world to be built specifically for marine environments, with
regional users able to leverage on the U.S. Marine Corps’ experience in
operating the type.
A white paper recently released by South Korea’s Ministry
of National Defense said one of the upcoming “major force enhancement projects”
for its marines is the acquisition of what it calls “amphibious attack
helicopters”; although neither the number of helicopters sought nor delivery
timelines were provided.
The white paper also said South Korea’s Marine Corps will
be transformed into “a marine-air-ground task force that is capable of
executing various types of missions, such as defending strategic islands and
carrying out multi-dimensional, high-speed amphibious operations”.
Marine divisions will undergo restructuring via a buildup
of its military strength in battlefield surveillance as well as its ability to
strike and defend objectives, while plans to field amphibious task helicopters
will see them come under a newly established Marine Aviation Group.
Another possible contender for the amphibious attack
helicopter requirement is Korea Aerospace Industries’ light armed helicopter,
which is based on the Airbus Helicopters H155 design.
KAI secured a $523 million contract in January to provide
30 KUH-1 Surion transport helicopters to South Korea’s marines. The helicopters
were expected to be delivered by 2023 and were part of a 200-aircraft order for
South Korea’s armed forces.
However, the country’s Defence Acquisition Program
Administration has since suspended further deliveries of the Surion in the wake
of numerous defects found in previously delivered examples and a corruption
scandal that has seen several of KAI’s executives indicted.
Original post: defensenews.com
AH-1Z Viper: Details
KAI KUH-1 Surion: Details
South Korea’s light armed helicopter H155: Details
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