Korea Aerospace Industries, Final Assembly Stage of First Mass-Produced Unit
The small armed helicopter (LAH) that will replace the Army-operated attack helicopters 500MD Tow and AH-1S Cobra is set to be operational within this year.
On the 19th, the military announced that the LAH successfully completed system development with a total investment of 653.9 billion KRW from 2015 to 2022, and mass production began in 2022. Currently, the first unit of mass production is in the final assembly stage, and once the assembly process is completed, it will undergo acceptance inspection and be delivered to the Army within this year.
The LAH is equipped with Target Acquisition and Designation System (TADS) capable of detecting targets in front, automatic flight control equipment and integrated electronic map computer that significantly reduce the pilot's mission burden, and survival equipment to counter various anti-air threats. It is evaluated to have greatly improved performance and operability compared to existing helicopters.
Additionally, it will be armed with air-to-ground guided missiles (Cheongeom) that have more than twice the range of existing anti-tank missiles, as well as 2.75-inch rockets and 20mm machine guns. Cheongeom, which completed development in 2022, will enter mass production this year and be operational from 2026.
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