Two ready to tango in South Korean helicopter competition
South Korea’s military has been seeking new helicopters for its special forces. Pictured above is an older CH-47D Chinook already in service. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
Two US-based OEMs will be vying for supremacy in a forthcoming competition for special forces heavy helicopters for the South Korean military.
Two contenders have been eagerly awaiting South Korea’s release of an RfP for a predicted quantity of 18 helicopters for the country’s special forces.
The two contenders for the Special Operations Heavy Helicopter programme are Boeing with its CH-47F Chinook and Sikorsky with the CH-53K King Stallion. Both were promoting their respective offerings at Seoul ADEX 2023.
South Korea completed a feasibility study phase last year. In April, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) approved the helicopter programme with a budget of KRW3.7 trillion (US$2.7 billion) from 2024–31.
John Kim, international business development for defense, space and security at Boeing Korea, said
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