South Korea confirms failure to export Surion helicopter to the Philippines
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| KAI KUH-1 Surion helicopters of the Republic of Korea Army. |
South Korean aircraft manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has been informed by the Philippines that its KUH-1 Surion utility helicopters was not been selected for its helicopter acquisition requirements.
This
was after South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration,
in a press statement on 7th January 2019, confirmed that the
Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) already informed
the South Korean authorities that the Philippine Air Force (PAF)
selected an American competitor.
According
to Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the PAF has
selected the Sikorsky Black Hawk after considering several factors,
and also confirmed their plan to sign a contract with Lockheed
Martin, Sikorsky’s mother company, for 16 Black Hawk combat utility
helicopters by early 2019.
In
a post by Philippine defense page MaxDefense Philippines, it
mentioned that the PAF’s Combat Utility Helicopter acquisition
project, with an allocated budget of PHP 12,100,000,000.00 (US$ 230
million), calls for the purchase of helicopters that can be used for
utility and transport missions in both combat and peacetime
operations. The project is part of the Horizon 2 phase of the Revised
AFP Modernization Program.
According
to Sec. Lorenzana, Sikorsky offered 16 Black Hawk helicopters for the
said amount, while KAI only offered 10 Surion helicopters. Former PAF
chief Lt. Gen. Galileo Gerard Kintanar also confirmed last December
2018 that both companies were also competing with other manufacturers
from Europe including Leonardo Helicopters (formerly AgustaWestland)
with the AW139M, and Russia’s defense export agency Rosoboronexport
with the Mil Mi-171V.
Separately,
MaxDefense Philippines confirmed that Bell Helicopter Textron has
also offered their Bell 412EPI helicopter despite a contract for 16
helicopters cancelled in early 2018 due to political reasons.
Had
KAI been selected, the Philippines would have been its first export
market for the Surion helicopter.
The
Surion is currently plagued by problems, after a derivative operated
by the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, the MUH-1 Marineon, crashed
last year resulting to the death of 5 people. Investigations by the
South Korean government and KAI found that parts sourced from Europe
were defective.
South
Korean authorities also believe that aside from offering less number
of helicopters, KAI might have also lost the chance in the
Philippines because of the said fatal accident.
[1] The
Korea Herald
[2] Reuters
South Korea confirms failure to export Surion helicopter to the Philippines
Reviewed by Asia Pacific Defense Journal
on
January 08, 2019
Rating:
Reviewed by Asia Pacific Defense Journal
on
January 08, 2019
Rating:
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