30 June 2017

News Story: Cracks found on Surion military helicopter's airframe - arms agency

A KAI built Surion Helicopter
SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Army has resumed the operation of more than 60 Surion multiple-purpose choppers after grounding them for nearly three weeks for new cracks found on the airframe, a state arms procurement agency said Thursday.

The Army's central joint technology committee made the decision earlier this week to permit the continued service of the indigenous rotorcraft in accordance with its analysis of the cause and flight stability, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

It belatedly revealed that cracks, 1.2-1.5 centimeters long, were discovered on the upper-left side of the fuselage of eight Surions on May 24. Two weeks later, the Army grounded all of its Surions.

Read the full story at YonhapNews