▲ KAI's Marine On armed model aimed at the Marine Corps attack helicopter
Since 2028, the project to introduce 20 marine attack helicopters has entered an unexpected phase. The previous research was completed in March and according to the regulations, the basic strategy for business promotion should be prepared at this point. However, it was confirmed that the Defense Acquisition Program Administration did not proceed to the preparation of the basic strategy for business promotion, but initiated a slightly extra procedure called business review.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration set the direction for the domestic development of the attack helicopter of the Marine Corps through prior research by the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, and the criticism of the fairness of the preceding research itself has been strong. KAI's multipurpose transport helicopter Surion was designed to add armament and armor to transform it into an attack helicopter, but faced the point that the attack helicopter, which should be the fastest and strongest, is more sluggish and less viable than the transport helicopter Surion.
So I decided to take a look again at how to proceed with the Marine Corps attack helicopter business through the process of reviewing the business that I would not go through if I stopped going. The business review has already begun and is expected to close as early as next month. According to the results of previous studies, it is necessary to integrate air-to-air armament, whether domestic or foreign, into Surion, but it focuses on whether KAI can implement within the military's determined deadline and cost.
● Uncommon procedure 'Business review', Why Hana The
process is very different whether the weapon system is introduced overseas or developed in Korea. If a request is filed by the appropriate military, it will be reviewed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the operational capability ROC will be determined. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration receives this and entrusts advanced research to the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality to compare and analyze domestic development and overseas introduction.
The next step is the basic strategy for business promotion. It is a step to decide whether to develop domestically or introduce it overseas based on the results of previous research and to determine an alternative business method. Next, through the procedure called business feasibility study, the concrete method of the project is finalized. After that, we will open an offer and select a business operator to negotiate price, performance, and technology.
However, the Marine Corps attack helicopter business was stopped between the prior research and the basic strategy of the project. We recently launched a rare business review. The cause of the business review was that the domestic development, which was based on KAI's Surion, was armed with a marine helicopter, which was developed based on Surion, and was inclined to become a marine-on weapon that strengthened bulletproof.
It seems that the burden of going to the basic strategy stage of business promotion was ignoring, ignoring the intellectual and voice. A government source pointed out that "there is a gap between the demands of the military, the defense agency's thoughts, the KAI's wishes and the reality of how to arm the air-to-air."
Concerning the Birth of a Marine-On Armed Personnel We are unable to guarantee 100% of safety by inflicting a fatal accident on a marine temperature introduced into the Marine Corps mobile helicopter. That's why there are many perspectives that take Marinon a step further, looking at Marinon armed mods. KAI had a rush of public opinion while trying to make a maritime helicopter with Surion, but this time, I can't help worrying about transforming it into an amphibious attack helicopter, one level higher than the maritime helicopter. An official from the industry, who was a helicopter pilot, said, "If you want to evaluate the Marineon armed forces, you're worried about whether you can guarantee the safety of the soldiers during the regular training.
Marine-on armored type is half the speed of overseas competitors. It is even slower than the original models Surion and Marine on. As it is equipped with additional equipment for armament, armor, and maritime operations, it is natural that the helicopter becomes heavy and slows down. The attack helicopter should be the fastest, but the Marineon armed brother who is planning to make it as an attack helicopter of the Korean Marine Corps is the most sluggish and can't speak out. There are also KAI officials who show their honest feelings, saying, "The performance of the Marion-on Armed Forces is not something everyone knows."
If the Marineon armed weapons were useful attack helicopters, they would have been chosen by the army a long time ago. However, without hesitation, the Army bought 36 AH-64E Apache Guardians. Currently, we are considering purchasing additional Apache. There is no Marineon armed in the army. The Marine Corps is a small army without power, so even if you wear it, you cannot speak.
A decade ago, in an earlier study of the Army attack helicopter project, the performance of Apache and Marineon armed forces was 2 to 1. It is a reasonable evaluation. Surprisingly, however, a prior study of the Marine Corps attack helicopter business this year concluded that the performance of marine attack helicopters and overseas attack helicopters such as Apache and Viper was almost the same. Apache and Viper have been improving performance for a while, and the Marineon armored helicopter hovered only in the concept and imagination.
● Whatever you see in the business review
This Marine Corps attack helicopter business review focuses on the air-to-air armament. In fact, the air-to-air armament is not held in the Marion on armament. KAI hasn't put an air-to-air armament on the helicopter yet, so he wants to see if he can do it properly.
LIG Nex1 will decide whether to integrate the domestic precision guided weapon shrine developed by Marines into Marineon or purchase and integrate foreign air-to-air armaments technically and economically. The key is whether it will be possible to integrate air-to-air armament within the time of electrification in 2028 and within a project cost of KRW 1.4 trillion.
The introduction of offshore attack helicopters is a little cheaper to buy ready-made products, but the development of the Marion On Armed Forces must be equipped with new air-to-air armament, bulletproof, maritime equipment and meet the ROC of the military within the promised period and project cost. That's it. An industry official said, "KAI is making a claim to make air-to-air attack helicopters with jet lag, whether to give more time and money, or to make air-to-air attack helicopters without time."
Self-defense is a good thing. Marion's armored attack helicopter is a great example of self-defense. However, we should not engage in self-defense for KAI and marine attack helicopter projects for KAI. The Marine Corps' operational capability is prioritized over KAI's performance. It is questionable whether it is self-defense that concerns Surion to the Marine Corps attack helicopter.
If the KAI needs to make an attack helicopter at the self-defense level, the business is only going to be blank and develop a new attack helicopter. Of course, the Marine Corps' attack helicopter's desire to power is far from far.