Daewoo Heavy Industries (DHI) is gearing up to begin production of the KT-1 Woong Bee turboprop basic trainer at a new plant, as South Korean air force operational testing of a fifth and final prototype nears completion.
The South Korean conglomerate has built a 15,600m² (168,000ft²) facility at Sachon for about $70 million to produce the trainer, formerly the KTX-1. Full production is to start in August 1999.
The air force has yet to conclude a production contract with DHI, but is planning to order an initial 85 of the tandem-seat aircraft as replacements for its Cessna T-37 and T-41 trainers, according to defence sources in Seoul. This is expected to lead to a follow-on order for another 20 armed variants for the forward air control role .
DHI plans to produce about two KT-1s a month, depending on demand and possible future export orders, with the first delivery to the air force destined for March 2000. The start of KT-1 production is crucial to DHI, which is due to deliver the final F-16 centre fuselage subassembly from its Changwon plant in March 1999. Up to 400 staff will transfer to Sachon.
The air force is to complete the last of some 160 operational test and flight evaluation sorties of a pre-production standard prototype KT-1 by mid-September.
The KT-1 has been much modified since the first Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25-powered test aircraft flew in December 1991. It is bigger, heavier and has a more powerful 710kW (950hp) PT6A-62 engine and Hartzell four-blade propeller.
Source: Flight International
