User:Peliconian/Surion

The Surion is a light, twin-engine, transport utility helicopter developed by KAI] of [[Sacheon, South Korea jointly with Eurocopter the chopper division of Europe’s EADS to replace its ageing fleet of U.S. helicopters.The project, began under Surion consortium, which cost about 1.3 trillion won ($1.05 billion, 0.75 billion euros), was launched in 2006 in partnership with Eurocopter, part of European aviation giant EADS. Full-scale production will begin in 2012 with KAI being principal builder. South Korean army and air force plan to produce about 200. It was to replace the aging fleet of UH-1H attack helicopter and 500MD light helicopter, which have been in service for decades. South Korea will also build civilian variants of the chopper.

Development
In June 2006, KAI and Eurocopter won the KHP/KUH 1.3 trillion-won research and development contract (0,75 billion-euros) from the South Korean Defense ministry to start the project. It remains Seoul's biggest arms deal ever with a non-US company. A production contract worth about 4.4 trillion won (2.5 billion-euros) is expected to be signed around 2011 before the start of mass production. Eurocopter has a stake of 30 percent in the 2006-2012 development phase and 20 percent in the following 10-year production phase. As the prime sub-contractor, Eurocopter has provided technical assistance and has supplied the power transmission, main gear box, boom and tail gearboxes, automatic flight control system and rotor mast, while the KAI developed the rest of technique, using technique developed from making other planes. Eurocopter also brought technical assistance for certain critical sub-assemblies. Turbo engine is provided by a pair of General Electric T700 1,600 hp turboshafts. Elbit Systems of Israel produces the KUH pilots' Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD), an advanced system which allow the pilot/copilot full day and night missions. A large IR suppressor exhausts of the Surion are adapted from those of the Eurocopter EC725 Caracal.

The Surion made its maiden flight in July 2009 with KAI's test pilot at the controls. The government certified the helicopter on and production for organizations began shortly afterwards.

Design
The four-blade rigid main rotor, with fiberglass blades ensures high maneuverability. Immelmanns and other maneuvers normally regarded as for fixed-wing aircraft only, with 30 percent of the frame include glass fiber in total airframe, All main systems (hydraulics, electric, fuel, lubrication) were designed to be fully redundant.

Operators
[[KOR]: starting production, up to 200 planned ]

Military
South Korea: South Korea army ; South Korea air force

Civilian
The Civilian variant is expected to be developed by 2011