[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Korean Air announced on the 21st that it held a ceremony commemorating the 30th anniversary of technical cooperation on the UH-60P Black Hawk with Sikorsky Aircraft in the Gyeonggi Province at the ‘2021 Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Industry Exhibition.’ Sikorsky is a military helicopter manufacturer and a subsidiary of the U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin.
The technical cooperation between the two companies began in 1990 when Korean Air signed a license production agreement with Sikorsky for the UH-60P Black Hawk helicopter. Since then, Korean Air produced approximately 130 Black Hawk helicopters over nine years and delivered them to the South Korean military. Even after the licensed production of the Black Hawk, Korean Air has maintained continuous technical exchanges with Sikorsky, acquiring the technology and expertise necessary for Black Hawk maintenance, modification, and performance upgrades.
Jungwoo Park, Head of Korean Air’s Aerospace Business Division, stated, “The support from Sikorsky for the domestic production of the UH-60P created thousands of jobs in Korea,” and added, “Going forward, Korean Air plans to closely cooperate with Sikorsky and various domestic companies while carrying out the UH-60P performance upgrade project.”
Robert Lang, Head of Lockheed Martin Korea, said, “The UH-60P performance upgrade will apply the latest rotary-wing digital flight technology to the Black Hawk,” and forecasted, “The combination of improved airframe performance and upgraded software will enable easy adaptation to future technological advancements, and based on digital systems, it will naturally leap to the next-generation rotary-wing system in 20 years.”
Currently, more than 550 Black Hawk helicopters are operated in the Asia region. Globally, over 4,000 Black Hawk helicopters are operated by more than 30 countries. Given its long-term use in multiple countries, a well-established global supply chain exists for parts procurement. The Black Hawk helicopters operated by the South Korean military can also be operated for more than 20 years in the future by utilizing the global supply chain.
The South Korean military plans to upgrade the Black Hawk’s performance and transition to next-generation utility helicopters, and Korean Air and Sikorsky will continue active technical exchanges.
Korean Air stated, “As Korea’s leading aerospace company, we will actively utilize the accumulated know-how through technical cooperation with domestic and international related companies to contribute to strengthening our military capabilities.”
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