South Korean Military to Acquire Four Presidential Command Helicopters Overseas... Four-Way Competition Expected

Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee...
Also to Purchase Large Special Operations Transport Helicopters

The South Korean military will invest 870 billion won from this year through 2031 to newly acquire four presidential command helicopters from overseas. The first introduction of the new command helicopters is expected to take place in the 2030s. The candidates include the Sikorsky S92 A+ (a new version of the S92), the Leonardo AW101 from Italy, the Airbus H225 M from France, and the Bell 525 produced by Bell Textron in the United States.

Sikorsky S-92 unveiled at the 2008 Farnborough Airshow

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on the 30th that it held the 168th Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee meeting and deliberated and resolved the "Command Helicopter-II Project."

The Command Helicopter-II Project aims to secure new command helicopters with enhanced survivability and command and control capabilities to carry out VIP domestic airlift operations. By introducing new command helicopters with improved ability to respond to enemy threats, the military expects to contribute to stable command airlift missions.

Currently, the South Korean military operates the VH-92, manufactured by Lockheed Martin Sikorsky in the United States, as the presidential helicopter. The VH-92, introduced in November 2007, is a large S-92 helicopter modified for VIP use. This helicopter is equipped with a radar warning receiver, infrared countermeasures, and missile warning and decoy systems to defend against various weapons.

The military will also purchase large special operations transport helicopters. This project aims to acquire large special operations transport helicopters from overseas to enhance the airborne infiltration capability of the Army Special Warfare Command's Special Mission Brigade and the search and rescue operations of the Air Force. The project began in 2024 and will continue through 2033, with a total investment of 3.3757 trillion won.

The basic development plan for the Electronic Warfare Aircraft (Block-I) system has also been approved. The Electronic Warfare Aircraft (Block-I) Project aims to acquire electronic warfare aircraft capable of collecting and analyzing threat signals from neighboring countries during peacetime, and paralyzing and disrupting enemy integrated air defense networks and wireless command and control systems through electronic attack (jamming) during wartime. The project will start this year and continue through 2034, with a total investment of 1.9206 trillion won.

DAPA stated, "We are securing electronic warfare aircraft capable of conducting long-range electronic warfare operations," and added, "We expect the survivability of our air power, which carries out missions to strike key enemy assets during wartime, as well as our joint operational capabilities, to be enhanced."