Korean Air (KAL) Aerospace has extended its partnership with Lockheed Martin to include potential refurbishment of the US company's P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft (MPA)and additional upgrade work for operators outside South Korea.
The companies have been partnered for several years in promoting one of the two bids under consideration to meet South Korea's future maritime patrol requirements. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and US firm L-3 Communications have also bid to refurbish eight ex-US Navy P-3Bs for the South Korean navy and last year forged an agreement to market the upgrade to other Asia-Pacific countries. KAL and Lockheed Martin last week signed a similar agreement covering projects throughout the world.
In both cases, the South Korean company will upgrade the aircraft, using technology supplied by its US partner. The KAL/Lockheed Martin and KAI/L-3 teams are likely to compete in meeting new MPA requirements in India, Pakistan, Taiwan and Thailand, all of which may buy refurbished P-3s from the USA.
The manufacturers expect South Korea to select a refurbishment vendor for its MPA requirement in the second quarter, ending three years of programme delays. Seoul signed a letter of intent in December to buy nine used P-3Bs from the USA. Eight will be refurbished and upgraded to a configuration close to South Korea's eight P-3Cs, with the ninth to be used for spare parts.
Source: Flight International