Must have these requirements; “Operational capabilities on both variants are required to include:
JANE’S DEFENCE WEEKLY – MARCH 31, 2004
——————————————————————————–
Seoul seeks bids for largest-ever helicopter order
JOHN Y CHUNG JDW Special Correspondent
Seoul
The South Korean Ministry of National Defence (MND) has issued a request for proposal (RfP) for the multi-billion-dollar Korea Multirole Helicopter (KMH) programme. Submissions are due by 15 June.
The army is seeking to field 300 utility helicopters from 2010 and 170 attack variants from 2012.
Companies known to be interested in the project include: AgustaWestland, Boeing, Bell Helicopter, Eurocopter, Kaman, Sikorsky and Rosoboronexport.
Each bidder’s ability and willingness to transfer technologies will be among key factors influencing the decision for Seoul’s largest-ever defence procurement programme.
Seoul requires an array of operational capabilities on both variants (see box).
The utility helicopter should be able to transport between seven and nine fully equipped troops along with four crew members and be armed with two 7.62mm machine guns. The attack variant will be armed with anti-tank missiles, rockets and machine guns.
The preliminary design study for both platform types is expected to take 13 months after the programme starts late this year. Full-scale development is scheduled to begin in 2006 for the utility version and 2010 for the attack version; development of the latter is due for launch after the detailed design phase for the utility version is complete.
The development programme will include the participation of six government organisations. Along with the MND, they include: the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy; the Defence Procurement Agency; the Agency for Defence Development (ADD); the Korea Aerospace Industry Co (KAI); and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. The ADD will oversee technical management and lead the mission equipment, armament and preliminary design phase, while the KAI will be the main system integrator.
The KMH programme will emphasise component commonality among the two versions. It will also focus heavily on localising 33 key items, including rotor, engine, transmission, forward-looking infra-red, radar-warning receiver and target acquisition designation system.
The successful bidder must ensure system-performance verification by the end of 2008 and approval by the manufacturer’s government for export licence involving all proposed technical assistance items. Over 30% of the amount of foreign payment exceeding $10 million must be guaranteed as offset.
Eurocopter has been quickest to launch a public relations campaign by openly promising significant technology transfers. Patrice Couvegnes, president of the French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, remarked at a press conference on 23 March that ” France is placing a great significance on the KMH project as France’s involvement will result in 100% technology transfer, just as it had proposed in the earlier F-X [fighter] project”.
The MND is being accused of violating programme procedures. Tae-ho Lee, chief co-ordinator at the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy lobby group, indicated to JDW that the MND should not have issued the RfP until a special investigation of the programme is completed and the National Assembly approves its result.
The National Assembly directed the Board of Audit and Inspection in December 2003 to conduct a three-month special investigation into the KMH programme and ordered the MND to report each programme-related activity to the defence committee for approval.
However, the normal functioning of the National Assembly is almost paralysed by the political instability resulting from the recent impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun and preparations for the upcoming general elections.
* Turboshaft twin engines;
* Two hours’ endurance time;
* Hover ceiling of 5,000ft;
* Vertical climb rate of 50ft/min;
* Ballistic protection up to 12.7mm ammunition;
* Forward-looking infra-red system;
* Chaff and flare dispensers;
* Infra-red countermeasures; and
* Infra-red suppressor.”
If you were the S.K. Ministry of Defense, what would you choose and why? please post pictures too.
*** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is being made available without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance their understanding of arms trade activities, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I believe that this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
Sign In
March 26, 2004 at 3:04 am