Page 26 - ADT JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2024 Digital Magazine | GBP

The LAH features a full glass designed and developed to replace 30 minutes dry run capability, dual
cockpit and is equipped with air- the Republic of Korea Army’s cockpit controls, a damage tolerant
to-ground missiles, and unguided (ROKA) 500MD and UH-1 rotor- airframe structure, crash resis-
rockets as well as a 20mm turret craft. The KUH Surion is available tant fuel system and duplicated or
gun. The helicopter also fea- in a number of variants such as isolated/separated critical flight sys-
tures a high-performance Target the basic utility helicopter, police tems. The UH-2 has 7.7 feet sliding
Acquisition And Designation System version, amphibious version and doors on both sides, allowing for
(TADS) and an integrated Helmet medevac version. fast and easy access into the cabin,
Mounted Display (HMD) which are which is 240 cm wide and 135 cm
organically linked with the weapon Rotorcraft Ready tall. This UH-2 is available in vari-
system. The helicopter also features Japan is also eyeing export pros- ous cargo configurations such as
a new Radar Warning Receiver pects for Subaru Corporation’s carrying two motorcycles and four
(RWR) and Missile Warning UH-2 (Utility Helicopter) which soldiers or six stretchers for medical
Receiver (MWR) for enhanced sur- is now in service with the Japan evacuation.
vivability in the combat zone. KAI Ground Self-Defence Force
made the maiden foreign appear- (JGSDF). Subaru Corporation The UH-2’s cockpit features Bell’s
ance of the LAH at the 2023 Dubai delivered the first batch of six heli- Basix-Pro integrated glass cock-
Airshow undertaking demonstration copters to the JGSDF in January pit with four large high-definition
flights, which the airframer says has 2023. Subaru has received orders displays paired with a digital
raised export expectations for the from the Japanese MoD for supply navigation/communication suite
type. KAI is also contemplating spe- 150 UH-2s which are being man- which reduces pilot workload and
cially configured variants for special ufactured at Subaru Corporation’s increases situational awareness.
missions and command and control Aerospace Company Utsunomiya The helicopter is powered by
based on the LAH platform. Plant, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Pratt & Whitney PT6T-9 Twin-Pac
Company officials had told ADT, engines. Additional features include
KAI however remains in search earlier that they were seeking a Helicopter Terrain Awareness And
of an export customer for its KUH exports of the UH-2 to countries in Warning System (HTAWS), Wire
Surion utility helicopter. In 2019 it the APAC region. Strike Protection System (WSPS),
unveiled a new variant called the Bell Helicopter Vibration Monitor
KUH 1E (Export) to meet the needs System (BHVMS) and Night Vision
of foreign markets. The KUH 1E is The UH-2 offers improved perfor- Goggle (NVG) ready interior lighting
weaponised variant with rockets, mance and safety features, while and controls.
missiles and an optional gun pod. maintaining its long established
This new Surion export variant reputation for utility and reliability. The UH-2 was developed by
has a Maximum Take-Off Weight It incorporates ballistic tolerant Subaru by leveraging its Bell
(MTOW) of 8,709 kg and was features, such as twin-engines, 412EPX which is its latest civil-
ian helicopter in production and
remodelled for a Japan Ministry of
Defence specification. The Subaru
Bell 412 EPX offers better oper-
ational capability and efficiency
with an extended hover ceiling,
increased load capacity, robust
main rotor gearbox and dry run
capability, Earlier this year, in
January, Japan’s Nara Prefecture
and Miyazaki Prefectures signed
purchase agreements for two
SUBARU Bell 412EPX helicopters
with Subaru Corporation. The two
prefectures currently utilize the
BELL 412EP. The new helicopters
will be configured for firefighting,
rescue, emergency, and medical
© HAL operations and are scheduled for
delivery in 2025..

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