South Korea will feature two homegrown helicopters at an air show in Dubai this week, the state arms procurement agency said Monday, amid Seoul's push to become a major defense exporter.

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd.'s Light Armed Helicopter (L) and the Surion are seen at Al Maktoum International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, in this undated photo provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on Nov. 13, 2023. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)
Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd.'s Light Armed Helicopter (L) and the Surion are seen at Al Maktoum International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, in this undated photo provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on Nov. 13, 2023. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)

The Surion multirole utility helicopter and the Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) -- both built by Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. -- will be displayed at the five-day Dubai Airshow from Monday (local time), according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

During the air show, the choppers will stage daily flight demonstrations to showcase various maneuvers, marking their first flights at an overseas air show, DAPA said.

KAI completed developing the Surion and LAH in 2012 and 2022, respectively, according to DAPA.

The Surion has since been deployed to the South Korean Army, with variant models being delivered to the National Police Agency and the Marine Corps.

The LAH is designed to replace the aging 500MD and AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters in the South Korean Army, with the delivery scheduled for late 2024.

 

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