Korea Decision on Attack Helicopters Nearing

Sep. 28, 2012 - By WENDELL MINNICK Defense News

TAIPEI — The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on Sept. 25 two potential attack helicopter sales to South Korea.

The first, worth $2.6 billion, is for 36 AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopters.

Prime contractors will be Bell-Textron Corporation and General Electric.

The second, worth $3.6 billion, is for 36 AH-64D Apache Longbow Block III attack helicopters. Prime contractors will be Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Electric.

Both sales will be administered under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program under the DSCA, said a DSCA news release.

Three helicopters are competing for Korea’s AHX competition.

The two U.S. attack helicopters are competing against the T129B (AW729) attack helicopter jointly developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries and AgustaWestland for the Turkish military.

AHX bids were submitted to the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration in May, and a decision is expected by the end of this year.

According to the DSCA news release, the Cobra deal will include 84 T-700 GE 401C Engines (72 installed and 12 spares), 288 AGM-114K3 Hellfire Missiles, 72 AIM-9M-8 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, AN/AAQ-30 Target Sighting Systems and AN/ALQ-136 Radar Frequency Jammers. The electronic warfare systems include the AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning System, AN/ALQ-144 Infrared Jammer, and APX-123 Identify Friend or Foe Mode 4.

The Apache deal will include 84 T-700-GE-701D Engines (72 installed and 12 spares), 42 Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight/Modernized Pilot Night Vision Sensors, 36 AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radar, 36 AN/APR-48A Radar Frequency Interferometers, 42 AN/APR-39 Radar Signal Detecting Sets, 45 AN/AVR-2B Laser Warning Sets, 43 AAR-57(V) 3/5 Common Missile Warning Systems, 38 30mm Automatic Chain Guns, 90 AN/ARC-201E SINCGARS Radios, 80 M299 Hellfire Missile Launchers, 400 AGM-114R1 Hellfire Missiles Semi-Active Lasers, 438 Stinger Block I 92H Missiles, and 11,020 Hydra unguided rockets.

Indonesia Seeks Apaches

In related news, the DSCA released U.S. congressional notifications on a possible FMS sale of eight AH-64D Apache Block III Longbow attack helicopters to Indonesia.

The estimated $1.42 billion deal, announced on Sept. 21, will include 19 T-700-GE-701D Engines (16 installed and 3 spares), 9 Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight/Modernized Pilot Night Vision Sensors, 4 AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars, 4 AN/APR-48A Radar Frequency Interferometers, 10 AAR-57(V) 3/5 Common Missile Warning Systems, 10 AN/AVR-2B Laser Detecting Sets, 10 AN/APR-39A(V)4 Radar Signal Detecting Sets, 24 Integrated Helmet and Display Sight Systems, 32 M299A1 Hellfire Missile Launchers, and 140 Hellfire AGM-114R3 Missiles.

“The proposed sale provides the Government of Indonesia with assets vital to protect and deter both external and other potential threats. Indonesia will use these Apache helicopters to defend its borders, conduct counterterrorism and counter-piracy operations, and control the free flow of shipping through the Strait of Malacca. The materiel and services under this program will enable Indonesia to become a more capable defensive force and will also provide key elements required for interoperability with U.S. forces,” said a DSCA news release.