South Korea to train with Bell 505
South Korea's Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) signed a KRW170 billion ($132.6 million) deal with Bell Textron Asia to purchase 40 Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopters and eight simulators on 6 May.
Seoul will receive the full order by 2025 to train its army and navy pilots. Pilots will begin using the new rotorcraft as early as next year.
‘The introduction of new helicopters is expected to address concerns about safety accidents caused by the operation of ageing training helicopters,’ DAPA official Lee Jong-hwa said in a 16 May statement.
South Korea currently uses MD 500 and UH-1H helicopters to train army and navy pilots, respectively.
The Bell 505 is equipped with a Garmin G1000H integrated avionics suite and dual-channel full-authority digital engine control.
It has a high-inertia rotor system and is designed with a flat floor, increased cabin volume and clamshell doors to undertake various missions.
The Bell 505 was confirmed through the third round of bidding. The first and second bids had failed because candidates offered by foreign aircraft makers did not meet DAPA's required performance and price.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Training
-
Royal Jordanian Air Force takes delivery of five new Bell 505 aircraft at Farnborough
The five helicopters complete an order of 10 Bell 505s placed in 2022.
-
NSPA and Airbus sign mission simulator contract for MRTT fleet at Farnborough
The A3330 MRTT simulator is expected to make simulator training easier and more regulator for both pilots and refuelling operatives.
-
Australia’s ‘Top Gun’ exercise in Top End reaches unprecedented scale in face of Chinese military build up
Fast-jet exercise focuses on interoperability and cooperation between allies amid growing regional security concerns in the Asia-Pacific region.
-
US Navy contracts for EW training flight hours awarded
The electronic warfare (EW) jets contract is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, with work scheduled to begin in August 2024 and completed in August 2029.
-
Rheinmetall receives rocket order from German armed forces for Tiger helicopters
The Tiger attack helicopter was developed for the French and German armies, prior to also being procured by Spain and Australia, with a total of 185 ordered. Germany, however, has planned to retire its 55-strong fleet.
-
How US marines and sailors trained for humanitarian assistance in Indo-Pacific region
US Marine Corps and US Navy personnel enhanced their humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities during a training exercise in Papua New Guinea.