South Korean Defense Companies to Handle U.S. Army CH-47 Engine Maintenance

South Korean and U.S. Defense Ministries Select Chinook Engine for MRO Pilot Project
Delegations to Visit Sites in Changwon and Other Locations to Identify Additional MRO Projects

The defense ministries of South Korea and the United States have selected the CH-47 Chinook engine as the target for a pilot maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) project involving domestic defense companies.

On July 22, the Ministry of National Defense announced that during the 57th ROK-US Logistics Cooperation Committee meeting held in Seoul, it was decided to select the CH-47 (Chinook) engine?an asset jointly operated by both countries?as the target for an MRO pilot project involving South Korean defense companies. This follows the implementation of ship MRO projects that began last year.

The ROK-US Logistics Cooperation Committee is a regular consultative body that discusses logistics issues between the two countries. This meeting was chaired by the chief representatives: Lee Gapsu, Director General for Logistics Management at the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea, and Lisa Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Materiel Readiness at the U.S. Department of Defense.

The Ministry of National Defense explained, "Through this pilot project, maintenance of the U.S. Army CH-47 (Chinook) engines will be conducted domestically rather than in the United States, thereby expanding the participation of South Korean defense companies in the MRO business. This is expected to not only strengthen the ROK-US alliance and enhance the combat readiness of combined forces, but also contribute to bolstering the capabilities of the defense industry."

The U.S. Department of Defense has recognized the need to expand MRO industry participation utilizing the defense and logistics capabilities of allied nations, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, due to the rapidly changing security environment, uncertain supply chains, and an increase in regional conflicts. The U.S. has been cooperating with South Korea in this regard.

The ROK-US delegation has also agreed to visit defense companies located in Changwon, Gumi, and other areas from July 23 to 25 to assess the capabilities of K-Defense, with the aim of identifying additional MRO projects beyond the newly decided CH-47 (Chinook) engine MRO pilot project and the existing ship MRO projects.

Meanwhile, both sides agreed during the meeting that stable logistics support is essential for maintaining combat readiness, and discussed cooperation measures for the acquisition, operation, and maintenance of various equipment.