BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is trying to extend production of its KT-1 basic trainer by fielding a new variant with upgraded avionics and promoting an armed variant for drug interdiction missions in Latin America.
Company sources say the first KT-1C prototype is in final assembly and will be test flown from December. Featuring embedded training systems and enhanced avionics from Canada’s CMC Electronics, the aircraft will allow KAI to compete better against rival manufacturers, they say, starting with a requirement in Turkey. KAI is now responding to a request for proposals for up to 55 trainers from Turkey, which also plans to evaluate the Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano and Raytheon T-6B turboprops, with Pilatus lobbying to also have its PC-21 considered for the requirement.
CMC was first selected in early 2003 to supply and integrate a glass cockpit, including head-up and multifunction displays, for the KT-1C. KAI had been demonstrating the new configuration using its avionics systems integration laboratory and only decided earlier this year to build a prototype.
KAI must secure new export orders for the KT-1 this year or at least temporarily close its production line in early 2007, when the last of 20 KO-1 forward air control aircraft will be delivered to the South Korean air force. The company so far has only sold 12 KT-1s outside South Korea, all to Indonesia, despite marketing the aircraft worldwide.
The company believes it can secure more export sales because several countries are planning to launch primary trainer competitions within the next few years. Others are evaluating the armed KO-1 for drug-interdiction and counter-insurgency missions now primarily performed using Rockwell OV-10 Broncos. Guatemala indicated in early April that it is considering the KO-1 for a six-aircraft requirement, and the type is also being evaluated against the more powerful Super Tucano for similar missions in several other Latin American states.
A KO-1C providing the CMC cockpit and weapons capability may also be offered to countries such as Mexico, which has for several years been looking for 36 aircraft to perform training and drug-interdiction missions.
Source: Flight International
