South Korea's military has suspended flights of LAH-1 Miron helicopters after corrosion defects were found in engines of 47 out of 57 aircraft. The defense procurement agency halted operations of the Hanwha Aerospace-supplied choppers on June 13.
Rep. Kang Sun-young of the opposition People Power Party said corrosion was discovered in April in engines of 47 of the 57 Miron choppers, with cracks found in 38 vehicles. The defect is believed to have occurred in the diffusers, a component that stabilizes airflow in the engines.
The engines were originally developed by France's Safran S.A., with Hanwha Aerospace serving as the local producer. Hanwha Aerospace stated its assembly process was in line with the original manufacturer's requirements.
The LAH-1 Miron was introduced to replace aging 500MD and AH-1S Cobra helicopters. The military plans to have around 160 Miron choppers operational by 2031. The defense procurement agency said it will inspect and improve its quality management systems.
