Korea Aerospace Industries’ (KAI) new Marine Attack Helicopter, a derivative of the Super Puma inspired MUH-1 Marineon, performed its maiden flight in December 2024.
Thanks to a video posted on Twitter/X, we can get a great look at this new multirole attack helicopter which will be operated by the Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC).
“MAH” takes off for the first time.
MAH is a new, dedicated attack helicopter designed for the South Korean Marine Corp.
20mm triple barreled chain gun, Taipers missiles, France Mistral, proven platform, latest avionics..that sounds promising.
I should call this Korean Hind.
It… pic.twitter.com/JPCxDPjJqp
— ハク Mason (@mason_8718) January 22, 2025
The Marine Attack Helicopter, or MAH, is based on the MUH-1 Marineon, in turn a variant of the KUH-1 Surion family. The Surion was introduced into service in 2013 and operates in a variety of military and civilian roles. Developed by Korea Aerospace Industries in partnership with Eurocopter, the Surion family takes strong design cues from the AS332 Super Puma, though uses a locally produced version of the General Electric T700 powerplant over the Puma’s Turbomeca engines.
KUH-1 Surion pic.twitter.com/sGBj5YWXl7
— ハク Mason (@mason_8718) December 26, 2024
A full-scale model of the MAH was first unveiled in 2021 following the selection of the type by the ROKMC in April of the same year. The MAH won a selection process that also included the Boeing AH-64 Apache, Sikorsky S-70i, Bell AH-1Z Viper, and the TAI/AgustaWestland T129. Though offered by a Korean company, the selection of the MAH over these alternatives generated a significant amount of controversy.
Critics said the MAH, being based on a transport helicopter, is not appropriate for the attack helicopter mission set in the way that dedicated platforms like the Viper and Apache are. Former ROKMC Commandant Lieutenant General Lee Seung-do was quoted as saying “the Marines Corps does not want an armed variant of the Marineon, but an attack helicopter that is maneuverable and survivable”.
A high profile grounding and production halt of the MUH-1 Marineon following a fatal crash did little to ease the views of the helicopter’s critics. An investigation narrowed the cause to a manufacturing defect in the rotor mast, which had been manufactured by Aubert & Duval. The last Marineons were finally delivered to the ROKMC in 2023.
A pair of Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC) Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) MUH-1 Marineon helicopters serials 22019 & 22023 on the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship ROKS Marado (LPH-6112, Landing Platform Helicopter) at #Gladstone Port. pic.twitter.com/YDXS08z0EL
— cqplanespotting (@cqplanespotting) July 19, 2023
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As a combined attack and transport helicopter, the MAH is reminiscent of the Soviet designed Mil Mi-24 Hind. Though there are examples of transport helicopters being converted into attack platforms in Western armed forces – for example, the MH-60 Direct Action Penetrator – often these helicopters mostly or entirely sacrifice their troop-carrying capacity to house ammunition and other equipment. The MAH, from what it seems, will retain its troop-carrying capability.
Though the transport helicopter airframe design does undoubtedly have disadvantages as an attack helicopter, having the same airframe as the primary ROKMC utility helicopter does heavily simplify logistical burdens. This is especially true for operations at sea, where the resupply of spare parts might be unpredictable. The U.S. Marine Corps capitalises on these advantages with its AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom fleet. Though remarkably different looking helicopters, the AH-1 was built as a derivative of the UH-1 and to this day the two aircraft share the same engines, tail booms, rotor system, and drivetrain – over 80% of components are interchangeable between the types.
The MAH is fitted with a nose-mounted M197 20mm gun turret, the same type as fitted to the Viper and a derivative of the ubiquitous M61 Vulcan. Stub wings on either side of the fuselage are able to carry a combination 2.75” rockets, potentially guided, Cheongeom anti-surface missiles, and either Mistral or Chiron air-to-air missiles.
KAI were likely able to apply experience from the ROK Army’s Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) program when selecting and integrating combat systems into the MAH, as both types have been developed alongside each other. The LAH shares a number of similarities in principle with the MAH, being a utility helicopter converted into an attack role. It is also based on a European design, namely the Airbus H155. Interestingly, for the LAH, KAI chose to keep the original Turbomeca Arriel engines.
Maritime helicopter features like folding blades, floatation devices, anti-corrosion finishes, and tie-down points will come as standard on the MAH. KAI also advertises a helmet mounted display (HMD) functionality, which has become a standard feature on many attack helicopter types. According to L3Harris, the MAH will utilise the WESCAM MX-15D electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) targeting and designation system.
KAI also intends for the helicopter to operate alongside emerging unmanned helicopter technology. A future upgrade pathway could see the helicopter equipped to deploy its own unmanned vehicles as part of a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) concept.
South Korean Maritime Helicopters
With the Marineon now established in the fledgling aviation component of the ROKMC, it joins an interesting selection of helicopters in South Korean naval service.
The Republic of Korea Navy, of which the Marine Corps are a component, operates the Westland Lynx/Super Lynx and its successor, the Leonardo AW159 Wildcat, for anti-submarine warfare. ROK Wildcats, unlike those fielded by the UK Royal Navy, are equipped with a dipping sonar, but there appears to be no plan to upgrade them with the Leonardo Weapon Wings for missile carriage capability.
UH-60P Black Hawks are flown in a utility role, and these have recently joined in service by MH-60R Seahawks which were procured under the Maritime Operation Helicopter Batch 2 contract. The Batch 1 contract saw the Wildcat’s procurement, and Leonardo were initially the preferred bidder for Batch 2 but the MH-60R was selected after an open competition was mandated under procurement rules.
A long-serving force of UH-1 Hueys were reportedly retired from ROK Navy service in 2024 as pilot training shifted to new Bell 505 Jet Ranger Xs. This came four years after the Republic of Korea Army retired its fleet of UH-1 Hueys in favor of the KUH-1 Surion. The Huey had served continuously with the South Korean army for 52 years.
