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Seoul eyes purchase of new presidential helicopters

Published: 30 Apr. 2025, 15:05

A plaque at the headquarters of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration in Daejeon [YONHAP]

The government has approved a plan to allocate 870 billion won ($608 million) to purchase new presidential helicopters with enhanced survivability, the state arms procurement agency said Wednesday.

The Defense Project Promotion Committee approved three agenda items, including the helicopter project, in a meeting presided over by acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho earlier in the day, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

The agency said the new fleet of helicopters equipped with enhanced survivability and command and control capabilities will ensure heightened response against potential enemy threats. DAPA plans to acquire the helicopters by 2031.

In the meeting, the committee also approved a 1.9 trillion won project to develop a homegrown aircraft capable of analyzing threatening electronic signals and jamming attacks in a contingency by 2034.

"The project is anticipated to advance the survivability and the joint operational capabilities of our air assets that carry out strike missions against key enemy assets in a contingency," DAPA said in a release.

Also approved by the committee was a plan to spend 3.3 trillion won to buy large utility helicopters from overseas by 2033.

The new helicopters are expected to bolster the Army special operations unit's aerial infiltration capabilities and the Air Force's rescue operations, DAPA said.

Yonhap