S.Korea to Mass Produce Homegrown Light Armed Helicopter, Develop Rocket Munitions

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said a 5.75 trillion-won ($4.3 billion) plan to begin mass production of a homegrown light armed helicopter (LAH) has been approved by the authorities.

The Defense Project Promotion Committee endorsed the LAH production plan to run through 2031 as part of efforts to replace the military's aging fleet of 500MD and AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters, Yonhap reported citing the DAPA.

DAPA is expected to sign an LAH deal with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) later this year, with mass production likely to begin in early 2023, a DAPA official said on condition of anonymity.

The first batch of the chopper is expected to be deployed in late 2024.

The committee also passed a 440 billion-won ($332 million) plan to develop a 155mm precision-guided artillery munition capable of striking the origin of an enemy artillery provocation. The plan is set to proceed from 2024-36.

Due to a lack of precision, ordinary artillery must be fired in large quantities to suppress targets. In contrast, 155mm precision-guided artillery includes guidance systems that allow for accurate strikes against targets even when fired in lower numbers. A single precision-guided artillery round is estimated to be capable of substituting for around 50 rounds of ordinary 155 mm artillery, as per local media.

Once integrated, the 155 mm artillery rounds are to be fired by K9 howitzers.

In addition, it endorsed a 380 billion-won ($285 million) project to locally develop a 130mm guided-rocket system from this year to 2033. The system is designed to respond to coastal artillery provocations or surprise amphibious infiltrations.