Producer in reported bid to win favour in Korean tenders for multirole and attack helicopters (212 words)

Published: 10/29/2001

Despite comments to the contrary from Kamov, reports are suggesting that the helicopter producer has approached its Korean partner, LG International, through whom it supplies a number of Korean government agencies with Ka-32s, to try to persuade it that the planned Korean multirole helicopter (KMH) to be developed and built in Korea, could be based on the Ka-60. If LG responds favourably to the proposal, the reports claim that Russian export agency, Rosoboronexport, would then officially offer the Ka-60 to the Koreans. This is seen as being another bid by Kamov to make its other Korean tender for 40 attack helicopters more attractive, by preempting the reports that the Koreans are seeking 50% offsets for the tender as the basis of developing the capability to develop the KMH. Having already offered an offset of 40%, above the required 30%, Kamov seems keenly aware that, as the underdog in this case, it needs to do all it can to make its bid as attractive as possible, in order to persuade the Koreans to choose the Ka-52K over the Longbow or Cobra, and the support of the development of the domestic industry appears be its strategy.

Article ID: 2861