28 July 2017

News Story: 'Surion' chopper to take anti-icing test again

SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will put its "Surion" military helicopter to a formal test again on its anti-icing system within the next several months, the nation's arms agency said Thursday.

The multi-role KUH-1 chopper was once an icon of South Korea's fast-developing defense industry, developed in 2009 by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in partnership with Airbus Helicopters.

But it has become a source of public concern amid a series of reports of flaws including cracks in the airframe and a problem in the gearbox.

The country's Board of Audit and Inspection has questioned the airworthiness of the twin-engine helicopter.

The audit office even cited a water leakage issue, which the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) claimed later has been already resolved.

The DAPA said it's preparing for a test on Surion's anti-icing system in the United States. Surion failed the previous cold-weather test taken in 2015. It failed to meet 29 of the 101 requirements.

Read the full story at YonhapNews