Will the Domestic Utility Helicopter 'Surion' Be Exported to Iraq?

Iraq Defense Minister Meets with Minister Shin Won-sik on the 20th
Considering Surion Due to Difficulty in Supplying Russian Attack Helicopter Parts

Iraq is considering the introduction of the domestically produced utility helicopter 'Surion.' If Surion is exported, it will be the first export.

The Army Aviation School discovered a crack in the actuator rod operating the main rotor blade while performing a daily inspection of the Surion on the 16th of last month.

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 19th, Tabet Al-Abbasi, Iraq's Minister of National Defense, who is visiting Korea, will hold talks with Shin Won-sik, the Minister of National Defense, on the 20th. It is known that Minister Al-Abbasi came to Korea to explore the purchase of the domestically produced helicopter Surion, drawing attention to whether there will be discussions related to this during the meeting with Minister Shin.

Previously, high-ranking Iraqi military officials, including Karim Aboud Mohamed Al-Tamimi, Commander of the Anti-Terrorism Command, and Samir Zaki Hussein Al-Maliki, Lieutenant General and Commander of the Army Aviation Command, visited Korea from the 4th to the 7th. During his visit, Commander Al-Maliki visited the headquarters of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) located in Sacheon, Gyeongnam, and boarded the domestically produced utility helicopter 'Surion' manufactured by KAI.

Iraq has so far deployed Russian attack helicopters Mi-35 and anti-tank attack helicopters Mi-28. However, due to the Ukraine war, parts supply has become difficult, and it is now reportedly in a virtual standstill.

An official explained the purpose of Minister Al-Abbasi's visit immediately following Commander Al-Maliki by saying, "It appears that the decision-makers came for the final judgment regarding the purchase of Surion," but added, "Minister Al-Abbasi did not come this time to sign a contract."

Surion is the first domestically produced utility helicopter developed since 2006 under the supervision of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), with the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and KAI involved. It has been deployed in the army since 2012 and is used as a utility and medical evacuation helicopter. Variants developed based on the Surion platform, such as the White Hawk for the Coast Guard and the Chamsoori for the National Police Agency, have been operated in Korea for a considerable period, attracting interest from foreign buyers.

Since the mid-2010s, the government has been negotiating Surion exports with several countries including Iraq, Indonesia, and Thailand, but no contracts have been finalized yet. Given that Iraq has shown interest by sending not only high-ranking military generals but also the Minister of National Defense, attention is focused on whether this will lead to the first export success.

Meanwhile, Iraq is also considering the introduction of the medium-range surface-to-air guided missile system 'Cheongung-II' (MSAM-II). On the 5th, Mohanad Charib Mohamed, Commander of Iraq's Air Defense Command, also arrived in Korea to discuss the acquisition of Cheongung-II. Known as the 'Korean Patriot,' Cheongung-II is regarded as a flagship export item of Korea's defense industry, having been introduced by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.