South Korea's LAH fit for combat

South Korea’s Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) reported that the new Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) has been initially declared fit for combat. The LAH programme can transition from the development to the pre-production phase.

The LAH, developed by the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), is designed for replacing the Daehanminguk Yuk-gun (Republic of Korea Army) older attack helicopters like the MD500MD and AH-1F/AH-1S Huey Cobra. KAI expects to build approximately 200 LAHs, which will serve alongside the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian.

The LAH has been developed around the Light Civil Helicopter (LCH), a local version of the Airbus H155 twin-engined Dauphin. Through the synergy of maximizing commonality in subsystems and parts with the LCH, development, production, and sustainment costs can be reduced.

The new attack helicopter features stub wings provisioned to carry 70 mm rocket pods, as well as a nose-mounted electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor and a 20 mm three-barreled turret gun, fuselage- and tail-mounted missile warning receivers, and upwards-directed exhausts for a reduced IR signature.

KAI has built three prototypes of the LAH. The first flight was successfully achieved in 2019 and the development phase is expected to be completed in 2022.

Photo: Korea Aersopace Industries Ltd