South Korean operators of the Korea Aerospace Industries KUH-1 Surion helicopter will work more closely on sustainment and development of the rotorcraft, with an eye to developing the platform and coordinating acquisitions.
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), which oversees the Surion and variants for South Korea’s military, says it will work more closely with parapublic operators of the helicopter.
Key areas of focus will be the coordination of future Surion acquisitions as well as performance improvements.
“The Surion helicopter plays a pivotal role in the mission execution of not only the military but also many government agencies, so now is a time when mutual cooperation between the civilian and military is needed more than ever,” says Ministry of National Defense official Hyun-ki, who oversees military use of the type.
The Surion’s major operator is the South Korean military, where it performs missions such as troop transport and medical evacuation. Variants focused on minesweeping and ground attack are also in development.
Parapublic roles include police work, firefighting, and coast guard duties.
In addition to local operators, in late 2024 Iraq placed a KRW136 billion ($93 million) contract for an undisclosed number of Surions, with deliveries to commence in 2029.
DAPA sees potential to market the Surion at international fire fighting trade shows.
It predicts that there will be 300 Surions in service by 2030. According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, there are 204 Surions now in service. Of these, the vast majority are operated by South Korea’s army, which has 150 examples. South Korea’s marines also operate 29 examples.
