Seoul: Hanwha Aerospace Co. is positioned to spearhead maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations for the U.S. Army's CH-47 Chinook helicopter engines under a newly initiated South Korea-U.S. defense cooperation pilot project, a company official stated Tuesday. Earlier, South Korea's defense ministry revealed that the two nations have agreed on this pilot MRO program for engines used in CH-47 helicopters as part of Washington's Regional Sustainment Framework (RSF) initiative.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the CH-47 engine project marks the first aircraft-related MRO collaboration between the allies under the RSF initiative. This initiative aims to enhance regional military readiness through sustainment partnerships with allied nations. A Hanwha Aerospace official emphasized that despite the absence of a formal corporate contract, the company stands as the sole entity in South Korea with the necessary experience and technical capacity to execute MRO services for the T55 engine.
"With this RSF designation, MRO for the T55 engine used in U.S.-operated CH-47 helicopters in the Indo-Pacific will be carried out in South Korea," the official noted. "While no contract has yet been concluded at the corporate level, Hanwha Aerospace is effectively the only company in the country with both the capability and experience to handle the work."
The official highlighted that Hanwha Aerospace has a history of servicing over 5,700 aircraft engines over the past 46 years, including the T55 engine used in CH-47 helicopters. The company's plant in Changwon, located approximately 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, boasts multiple international certifications, including one from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
"As South Korea's sole specialized aircraft engine company, Hanwha Aerospace will not only actively contribute to strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance based on 46 years of technical expertise, but also work to secure future growth by expanding into the global MRO business," the official stated. Defense officials from both countries are scheduled to visit South Korean defense firms this week to explore further cooperation opportunities beyond the pilot project and ongoing MRO services in naval shipbuilding.