South Korea has successfully completed the maiden flight of its indigenous mine countermeasure helicopter prototype in South Gyeongsang Province. The aircraft is being developed under a 347.7-billion-won ($256.6 million) initiative launched in 2022 to equip the Republic of Korea Armed Forces with a domestically-built rotary wing platform for naval minehunting operations.
With the initial flight now completed, the helicopter will proceed through a series of full-scale evaluations to assess its flight capabilities, onboard systems, and overall safety. The development effort is being led by Korea Aerospace Industries in collaboration with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), with full development expected to continue through 2026.
