Korea Buying 36 Apaches In $3.5 Billion Deal

A total of 36 of Boeing's state-of-the-art Apache AH-64E attack helicopters could be winging their way to the Republic of Korea (ROK) in a new multi-billion-dollar deal.

As per a Department of Defence statement this week, the U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of the helicopters and associated spares, training and logistical support. The total value of the agreement is estimated to be circa $3.5 billion.

The acquisition will represent the first time the South Korean military has operated Boeing's attack helicopter platform. The statement on the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) website notes the proposed sale will improve the ROK’s capability to meet current and future threats "by providing a credible force capable of deterring adversaries and participating in regional operations."

The deal also includes 76 engines (including four spares); up to 36 pilot night-vision sensors; a variety of fire control radar systems; and as many as 450-plus Hellfire missiles and various other projectiles.

Among other weaponry included in the deal are automatic guns and rocket and missile launchers and associated ammunition; the deal also includes countermeasures such as decoys and flares.

The DSCA release noted: "This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region."

You can read the full details on the DSCA website