AH-X attack helicopter
The AH-X attack helicopter project calls for the purchase of 36-40 attack helicopters (two squadrons) after 2004 at a cost of 2 trillion won ($1.6 billion). It is intended to counter threats by North Korea's tank and armored personnel carriers, and to replace 60 Bell AH-1S. The minimum operation requirements call for twin-engine helicopters capable of flying at speeds of over 240 kilometers per hour.
The project narrowed down to a showdown between American and Russian defense contractors. European and South African firms expressed intentions not to compete for the project. Boeing, Sikorsky and Bell of the U.S. and Kamov and Mil Moscow of Russia submitted their proposals for the project, but Eurocopter, a Franco-German consortium, and South Africa's Denel said they would not tender bids for the AH-X project. The helicopters expected to be offered by the U.S. and Russian contractors include Boeing's AH-64D Apache Longbow, Sikorsky's AUH-60, Bell's AH-1Z, Kamov's KA-50 and Mil Moscow's MI-28.
In 2001 South Korea dropped the AH-X plan, and decided to develop and produce [with foreign partners] the KMH Korean Multi-Purpose Helicopter. The KMH would provide more work for Korea Aerospace Industries. The new project aims at producing about 500 KMHs, which will provide more work than the 36 AH-Xs initially planned. The KHM program will be able to produce multi-purpose helicopters, including the attack function, for the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
