Seven government ministries gathered to discuss development plans for the domestic helicopter Surion.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Korea Aerospace Administration, Korean National Police Agency, Fire Department, Korea Forest Service, and Korea Coast Guard established a task force meeting for a joint government initiative to seek development plans for Surion at the Defense Convention in Seoul on the 19th.
The newly launched joint task force gathered departments involved in the development of the Surion helicopter and those currently operating the Surion helicopter to discuss integrated acquisition plans, efficient operation strategies, and competitiveness enhancement.
The Surion, developed by South Korea in 2012, positioned the country as the 11th helicopter developing nation in the world. Since then, the Surion has been used not only for military troop and cargo transport but also for various purposes, including the amphibious assault helicopter Marineon and the medical evacuation helicopter Medion. Furthermore, development is currently underway for an amphibious attack helicopter and a mine-sweeping helicopter based on the Surion.
Participating departments in the joint task force discussed efficient operation strategies for Surion helicopters deployed in the military and various government branches, as well as the need for integration of sporadic helicopter purchases by department. The Korean National Police Agency, Fire Department, Korea Forest Service, and Korea Coast Guard, which directly operate the Surion helicopters, stated that collaborating actively with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration or military, which have acquired and operate over 200 Surion helicopters, could make helicopter operations more economical.
Hanchang Director of the Aerospace Industry Bureau at the Korea Aerospace Administration noted, "The formation of this task force provides a good opportunity to establish a domestic foundation by utilizing Surion helicopters for various operational derivative roles in the police, fire services, and forestry," adding, "Furthermore, I hope this will lead to expanded exports through civil-military cooperation."