Korean Air and Boeing Teaming up to Create 500MD Unmanned Helicopters
Korean Air has signed a memorandum of agreement with Boeing to work together to create new 500MD unmanned helicopters, which will have a number of functionalities, including the ability to perform day and nighttime reconnaissance, surveillance missions and short-distance precision strikes.
“With this agreement, Korean Air will be able to create unmanned helicopter business opportunities not only in Korea but also in the international market,” said Myung Rae Ham, senior vice president of Aerospace division, Korean Air, in an article with ETN Global Travel Industry News. “Korean Air and Boeing will fully cooperate in the domestic and foreign unmanned helicopter business and seek to achieve a win-win strategy.”
As a part of the MOA, Boeing will supply Korean Air with technical support for flight control and test evaluations. The two companies will also conduct a joint marketing program overseas.
The new helicopters will advance upon the technology of the ROK air force’s retired 500MD helicopters, which over the course of two years from 2014 to 2016 were transformed from manned helicopters to unmanned helicopters. Korean Air will soon begin turning these unmanned helicopters into unmanned, armed aircraft, with an expected completion date of 2017.
