KAI KUH-1 Surion

KUH-1 Surion
KAI KUH-1 utility helicopter
Role Medium transport helicopter
National origin South Korea
Manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries
Designer Agency for Defense Development
(mission equipment package)
Korea Aerospace Industries
(with technical assistance from Eurocopter)[1]
First flight 10 March 2010[2]
Introduction 22 May 2013[3]
Status In service[4]
Primary users Republic of Korea Army
National Police Agency (South Korea)
Produced 2010-present
Number built 218+ (including derivatives)[5]
Developed from Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma

The KAI KUH-1 Surion is a twin-engine, transport utility helicopter developed primarily by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) jointly with Eurocopter. In 2006, the research and development phase of the Korea Helicopter Project - Korea Utility Helicopter (KHP-KUH), costing around ₩1.3 trillion (equivalent to ₩1.67 trillion or US$1.48 billion in 2017)[6], was launched by the Agency for Defense Development in 2006.[7][8] In 2012, full-scale production of the Surion commenced; KAI has been designated as the principal manufacturer of the type.[8]

An initial force of around 245 Surions have been ordered by the Republic of Korea Army to replace their aging fleets of UH-1H utility helicopters and 500MD light utility helicopters, which have been in service for decades.[8] KAI shall also construct civilian and law enforcement variants of the helicopter.[8]

In 2017, the Surion was the centerpiece of an embezzlement scandal involving parent company KAI, the South Korean Ministry of National Defense and its Defense Acquisition Program Administration.[9][10]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2013 export was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Kwon, Kyongsong (29 March 2013). "South Korea's Utility Helo Makes Maiden Flight". Korea News. hankooki.com. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012.
  3. ^ Army deploys Surion copters. koreatimes.co.kr, 22 May 2013.
  4. ^ Jung, Sung-ki (11 March 2010). "South Korea's KAI Surion finishes development". Defence News. Army Times Publishing Company. Archived from the original on 6 April 2013.
  5. ^ "Republic of Korea Army completes Surion acquisition". Janes Information Services. 24 June 2024. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024.
  6. ^ 1906 to 1911: Williamson J. (1999), Nominal Wage, Cost of Living, Real Wage and Land Rent Data for Korea 1906-1939 1912 to 1939: Mizoguchi, T. (1972). Consumer Prices and Real Wages in Taiwan and Korea Under Japanese Rule. Hitotsubashi Journal of Economics, 13(1), 40-56. Retrieved May 21, 2021. Afterwards, consumer price index from Statistics Korea. Consumer Price Index by year. Retrieved 3 April 2018
  7. ^ Wendell Minnick and Jung Sung-Ki (23 October 2009). "S. Korea's Defense Industry Shows Progress at Show". Defense News.[dead link]
  8. ^ a b c d "KAI and Eurocopter reveal the Surion". Shepard. 2009-07-31. Archived from the original on 2010-03-15. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
  9. ^ Park, Hyong-ki (18 July 2017). "Korea Aerospace Industries hammered amid scandal". The Korea Times. Korea Times. Retrieved 11 May 2018. Auditors found that the state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has been covering up a number of defects with KAI's Surion chopper, including problems with its engine and lightning protection.
  10. ^ Yeo, Jun-suk (21 September 2018). "KAI vice president found dead amid corruption scandal". The Korea Herald. Korea Herald. Retrieved 11 May 2018. One of the allegations facing Ha is that that the company made at least 24 billion won ($21.3 million) in illicit profits by inflating development costs for Surion utility helicopters, T-50 supersonic trainer jets and FA-50 light attack planes.