The South Korean air force has accepted its first Kamov Ka-32 helicopter equipped with avionics supplied by Israel Aircraft Industries' Lahav division and delivered by the South Korean company LGI. The aircraft is the first of seven new Ka-32s procured by the South Korean air force, with the rest to be delivered to the service by mid-2005. The aircraft will join the air force's squadron of search-and-rescue helicopters.
South Korea requested that its Russian-built helicopters be delivered with Israeli-supplied avionics, including navigation systems, a weather and ground-survey radar and a digital moving map. The aircraft also has colour cockpit displays to reduce pilot workload. The service could acquire similar equipment for some of its other helicopter types, says Lahav.
Source: Flight International