Joint Development

Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho (left) and Boeing Chairman Dennis Muilenburg pose for a photo after signing a MOA to jointly develop 500MD unmanned helicopters at the Korean Air headquarters in Gonghang-dong, Seoul, on September 21.
Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho (left) and Boeing Chairman Dennis Muilenburg pose for a photo after signing a MOA to jointly develop 500MD unmanned helicopters at the Korean Air headquarters in Gonghang-dong, Seoul, on September 21.

 

South Korea’s largest airline and flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. and the world’s leading aircraft manufacturer Boeing Co. have teamed up to develop unmanned combat helicopters.

Korean Air announced on September 22 that its parent company Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho and Boeing Chairman Dennis Muilenburg signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to join forces in developing unmanned 500MD choppers at its headquarters in Gonghang-dong, Seoul, on the 21st.

Under the agreement, Boeing will provide some technical supports including flight control and demonstration, and conduct joint overseas marketing with Korean Air to sell the choppers.

The air carrier worked on converting aging 500MD helicopters owned by the Korean Army into unmanned ones under the AH-X heavy attack helicopter offset program which was carried out from 2014 to May 2016. Based on this experience, it plans to build 500MD helicopters to unmanned combat helicopters from January this year to next year.

 

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