Korea Military Cargo Aircraft (and its variants) programs

Isa Khan

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SEOUL — Korea Aerospace Industries is considering adding military transport planes to its product line with the goal of partnering with foreign aircraft manufacturers, Defense News has learned.

This would be an “unexplored business field” for the South Korean company, according to a source with KAI, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“For KAI, the transport aircraft market is an unexplored field, which has high potential for localization,” the source said. “The technology intensity of transport aircraft is lower than that of fighter jets, while the market of maintenance, repair and overhaul of transport planes remains profitable.”

Founded in 1999, KAI has developed a successful portfolio of indigenous aerospace products including trainer jets, helicopters, fighter aircraft and satellites. The development of an indigenous fighter aircraft, codenamed KF-X, is underway with a goal of unveiling a prototype in the first half of 2021.

KAI’s internal analysis of the domestic transport aircraft market suggested about 100 transport aircraft would be in demand over the next three decades given the life span of aircraft flown by the military, the source told Defense News.

In addition, the company believes there will be a chance to sell about 100 airlift planes overseas, the source explained.

“To keep up with the demand for addressing increasing nonmilitary threats, such as national disaster, infectious disease and humanitarian aid, the needs for military transport airplanes are likely to grow,” the source added.

The South Korean military operates about 60 transport aircraft built by foreign firms. The Air Force operates C-130s and CN-235s, mainly for airlift operations, while the Navy has P-3Cs and P-8As for maritime patrol missions. The oldest planes among the P-3C fleet were adopted 25 years ago.

In line with efforts to take back wartime control of its forces from the U.S. military, South Korean military authorities want to acquire more aerial assets for independent intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance missions.

KAI expects it will be able to build its own transport aircraft in seven years with an investment of about $2.7 billion, according to the source. Following the development of a military version, the company envisages it could modify it into a commercial plane with a seat capacity of 100.

To that end, KAI is eyeing international partnerships, the source said, specifically European company Airbus Defence and Space, Ukraine’s Antonov, and Brazil’s Embraer.

 

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South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries announced last week that it aims to develop its own military transport aircraft.

South Korean aerospace giant said that it plans to developed new multipurpose aircraft to meet domestic demand for the planes.

Yonhap News Agency also quoted the company’s Executive Vice President Ryu Kwang-su saying that KAI has already reached a consensus with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on the need to develop future transport and multipurpose aircraft.

“Currently, there are 30 multipurpose and 70 transport planes operated by the Army, Navy and Air Force. We are targeting to replace the imported aircraft with domestically developed ones and advance to overseas markets with our own planes in the long term,” Ryu said.

According to open-source, the Republic of Korea Air Force operates C-130s and CN-235s, mainly for airlift operations.

If developed, the transport aircraft would be used for multiple purposes, including as a reconnaissance plane and a maritime patrol aircraft, as it shares the same platform as a midsized aircraft, Ryu added.

Approximately one year earlier, KAI reported that it will be able to build its own transport aircraft in seven years with an investment of about $2.7 billion.

To date, South Korea is among the world’s seven major aircraft manufacturing countries along with the United States, Britain, China, Japan, Russia and the European Union, but its aviation industry never built aircraft such type.

 

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South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries, commonly known as KAI, has released a short promo video of its proposed design for the future military transport aircraft.

The released video doesn’t reveal much other than a shape that resembles pretty much every other aircraft in the class, as the Japanese C-2 or Ukrainian An-178. At the same time, the plane will be multi-mission aircraft that develops to haul cargo, carrying missiles, launch rockets into space and insert special operators, and refuel other aircraft, among other uses.

Last month, Yonhap News Agency also quoted the company’s Executive Vice President Ryu Kwang-su saying that KAI has already reached a consensus with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on the need to develop future transport and multipurpose aircraft.


“Currently, there are 30 multipurpose and 70 transport planes operated by the Army, Navy and Air Force. We are targeting to replace the imported aircraft with domestically developed ones and advance to overseas markets with our own planes in the long term,” Ryu said.

According to open-source, the Republic of Korea Air Force operates C-130s and CN-235s, mainly for airlift operations.

If developed, the transport aircraft would be used for multiple purposes, including as a reconnaissance plane and a maritime patrol aircraft, as it shares the same platform as a midsized aircraft, Ryu added.

Approximately one year earlier, KAI reported that it will be able to build its own transport aircraft in seven years with an investment of about $2.7 billion.

 

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South Korea is focusing on four-engined transport aircraft for a project intended for acquiring a new fleet of heavy cargo haulers by 2026.

On 25 March, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the “Large transporter secondary project”. An investment of KRW710 billion (USD581.5 million) is being made to procure the aircraft between 2022 and 2026.

The Defense Projects Promotion Committee approved the budget.

DAPA told Janes that the Lockheed-Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules, Airbus A400M Atlas, and the twin-engined Embraer C-390 Millennium “are expected to participate in this project”.

However, a Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) source told Janes that the required operational capability (ROC) of the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) limits participation in the project to aircraft with four engines.

 

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Thank you for your well, and detailed explanation!

Even if South Korea had to suffer from false promises, it rewarded its growth in the end by forcing South Korea to develop its own critical technologies.

I have also seen the transport aircraft MC-X, and KUH-1 helicopter. Do you have a little information on these platforms? I read that MC-X is a project that will according to plans enter service by 2030-2032 timeframe. KUH-1 on the other hand has already been delivered in good numbers, but no exports have taken place?

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The MC-X program has not yet entered a specific stage of development. Currently, KAI is working on the design concept in consultation with ROKAF, and we will see a clearer picture around 2024 (or hope so). Since it is the first time for KAI to develop a large transport aircraft, they are planning to cooperate with overseas companies, but the target has not been specifically decided yet. The image above is the roadmap for Improvement and Derivative Development unveiled at this ADEX 2023.

KUH-1 is a successful project in Korea and is being delivered smoothly to each institution. Given that KAI recently told the media that exports are expected soon, it seems that exports will be possible, but there is no official announcement. I think the announcement will be made by the end of the year.
 

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View attachment 62239
The MC-X program has not yet entered a specific stage of development. Currently, KAI is working on the design concept in consultation with ROKAF, and we will see a clearer picture around 2024 (or hope so). Since it is the first time for KAI to develop a large transport aircraft, they are planning to cooperate with overseas companies, but the target has not been specifically decided yet. The image above is the roadmap for Improvement and Derivative Development unveiled at this ADEX 2023.

KUH-1 is a successful project in Korea and is being delivered smoothly to each institution. Given that KAI recently told the media that exports are expected soon, it seems that exports will be possible, but there is no official announcement. I think the announcement will be made by the end of the year.
Amazing, all the best wishes to South Korea. South Korea and UAE signed an MOU agreement to jointly develop MC-X. I hope KAI can enter the tenders that Morocco has as we speak for transport helicopters. Are there any plans to make a bigger helicopter than KUH-1 similar to black hawk?
 

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Amazing, all the best wishes to South Korea. South Korea and UAE signed an MOU agreement to jointly develop MC-X.
That is true, and it's quite weird, since they were requesting Japan for information regarding C-2. I guess they have something more in mind. Though for now, a MOU is just a memorandum. So MC-X still has two big hurdles to overcome. First KAI has to convinve Korean AF and government that a domestic transport aircraft makes sense, and they also need to convince UAE. I hoped to see some news about Korea's cooperation with UAE to be anounced in this year's ADEX, but UAE officials weren't able to visit due to current situations in Israel and Palestine so we'll have to wait.
 

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