Military suspends flight of Miron choppers over defective engines

An undated file photo of the LAH-1 Miron helicopter provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

South Korea's military has suspended the flight of locally manufactured LAH-1 Miron helicopters after defects were found in engines, according to a lawmaker on Saturday.

The defense procurement agency had discovered in April corrosion in the engines of 47 among 57 Miron choppers assembled and supplied by Hanwha Aerospace Co. and has suspended their operations, according to Rep. Kang Sun-young of the opposition People Power Party.

Cracks, possibly due to corrosion, were also found in the engines of 38 vehicles, the lawmaker added.

The engines used in the armed helicopters were originally developed by the French aerospace technology company Safran S.A. Hanwha is the local producer and supplier of the military choppers.

The defect is said to have occurred in the diffusers, a component used to stabilize the airflow in the engines, possibly during the assembly process, according to officials.

Hanwha Aerospace defended its assembly process as being "in line with" the original manufacturer's requirements, noting that the company was not mandated to seek further approval from Safran.

The LAH-1 Miron was introduced to the military to replace aging 500MD and AH-1S Cobra single-engine attack helicopters. The military plans to have some 160 Miron choppers operational by 2031.

The defense procurement agency said it plans to inspect and improve its quality management systems, following the incident.