South Korea is expected to relaunch its indigenous multi-role helicopter contest early next year, with a new request for proposals (RFP) to focus on finding a replacement for its Bell UH-1Hs. Industry sources say a task force established last October to review the controversial Korean Multi-role Helicopter (KMH) project will complete a redefinition of the programme within the next few weeks. If its suggestions are accepted, a drastically restructured programme will be launched in February or March with a briefing and RFP release event for potential Western partners.
Seoul last July shortlisted AgustaWestland, Bell Helicopter and Eurocopter to partner Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in developing a new 6,800kg (15,000lb) exportable helicopter with attack and utility variants. But a presidential review was ordered in September to assess the project's feasibility, delaying a planned contract award from this month (Flight International, 5-11 October).
The task force believes South Korea's original plan to replace its Bell UH-1H, Bell AH-1 and MD Helicopter MD500 fleets with a single helicopter type from 2010 is too ambitious and that a foreign manufacturer should be selected next year to help develop a UH-1H replacement, sources say. The selection of an AH-1 successor will be delayed, with sources suggesting that an aircraft will be imported if an attack variant of the KMH is not deemed manageable within the next two or three years.
The Bell/KAI 427, which was relaunched earlier this year with a new instrument flight-rules variant, could be acquired to replace the MD500, while requirements for new firefighting, medical evacuation, police and other civil helicopters could be met with a mix of 427s and the relaunched KMH.
Separate plans to hold competitions to select domestically produced subsystems and components for the KMH may also be scrapped under the restructured programme.
BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
