SOUTH Korea's armed forces are seeking funding in fiscal year 1998 to further extend licence-manufacturing of the Sikorsky UH-60P Black Hawk helicopter at Korean Air's Aerospace division.
The Army is understood to be discussing ordering a third batch of between 60 and 80 UH-60 utility machines from Korean Air's Kimhae plant. Funding would be drawn from the military's 1998-2002 five-year budget, which is set to rise by 12.9%, to $120.9 billion because of recent tension with North Korea.
Korean Air has already delivered an initial batch of 81 UH-60s ordered in 1990 and is just over midway through completing production of a follow-on batch of 57 additional helicopters. The company recently delivered its 100th helicopter and is to complete delivery of the second batch in 1999.
About nine local South Korean manufacturers are involved in the UH-60 programme including Samsung Aerospace, which has responsibility for licence-production of the helicopter's twin General Electric T700 turboshaft. The engine was originally built by Korean Air, before the contract was switched to Samsung.
Source: Flight International
