Leonardo is showcasing its AW159 as the best solution for the ROK Navy at the ongoing ADEX. Company officials say that a strong offer has been made for the MOH Batch 2 programme man- aged by DAPA for the ROK Navy. The ROKN needs an additional 12 maritime helicopters with antisubmarine (ASW) and anti-surface (ASuW) capabilities.
“The AW159 – a leading naval helicopter – has been successfully operating by the ROKN since 2016 significantly improving ASW and ASuW capabilities. Leonardo is confident that procuring additional 12 units of the same type would bring major benefits: selection of the AW159 means that there is no requirement for infra- structure changes to the existing bases or structural changes to the naval vessels which operate MOH today,” a company spokesperson tells Daily News.
“Similarly, the essential maintenance, airworthiness and training organisations and their associated facilities are already existing and operational today,” the official says. A future requirement could also involve opportunities for systems upgrades which could be offered to the ROKN. “Of specific current interest are the IFF Mode5 upgrade programme and the Lynx helicopter engine upgrade which has already been contracted with a number of other Lynx operators.”
In addition to the focus on the AW159 at the show, Leonardo also believes that its long-range radars solutions (RAT-31 DL), both fixed and mobile, are ideal for the requirements of the Republic of Korea Air Force. The RAT-31 DL is an advanced, L-band, solid state solution for 3D surveillance, with an effective range of over 470 Km. Leonardo proposed solutions are based on proven and state-of-the- art “NATO Class 1” radars to answer the modernisation needs of Korean air surveillance capabilities.
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