Airbus Helicopters will join with Korea Aerospace Industries in developing two five-ton class rotorcraft that meet South Korea’s requirements for its next-generation Light Civil Helicopter (LCH) and Light Armed Helicopter (LAH).

As the LCH and LAH competition winner, Airbus Helicopters will continue its highly successful relationship with Korea Aerospace Industries, including the joint programme that developed Korea’s Surion twin-engine utility transport helicopter.

Both the LCH and LAH will be based on Airbus Helicopters’ H155 (formerly known as the EC155) – the latest evolution of its best-selling Dauphin family, which includes the Panther military and parapublic variants that have demonstrated their capabilities in operation around the world.

As part of the new commitment, Airbus Helicopters will transfer the company’s technical know-how – as already demonstrated in the Surion programme – to ensure Korea is able to develop its newest indigenous products, which will become leading next-generation light rotorcraft in the five-ton category.

The LCH version is expected to enter service in 2020 while the service introduction of the LAH is targeted for 2022.

Airbus Helicopters President Guillaume Faury said: “We would like to express our deep gratitude to Korea Aerospace Industries and the South Korean Government for entrusting us with this major helicopter programme. We are committing our full support in ensuring the LCH and LAH projects will be completed on time, on cost and to specification.

“The LCH and LAH programmes will build on our collaboration with Korea Aerospace Industries on the Surion, which has become a reference in successful rotorcraft collaboration. By continuing our relationship, we will significantly reduce the risks of these two new development programmes, while meeting all of the mission requirements.”