South Korea will buy 36 attack helicopters, T-129 to compete in the tender

[cabatli_53]

DAPA announced that Korea will spend 1.84 trillion won to acquire 36 attack helicopters from overseas. Col. Tan Myeong-hoon of DAPA said the AH-1W SuperCobra by Bell and AH-64D Block III from Boeing, will compete with the EC-665 Tiger from Eurocopter of France and the T-129 from Turkey.

Russia seeks to sell stealth jets to Korea

 

[cabatli_53]

Competitors;

AH-1W SuperCobra- Bell = USA
AH-64D Block III - Boeing = USA
EC-665 Tiger - Eurocopter = French
T-129 Atak - TAI = Turkey

Hope T-129 Atak get the tender among those big players.

 

[BordoEnes]

i think the T129 is the best option, because it was made to meet the requirment of the turkish army for fighting pkk in the mountains and from what i know south korea also have terrain with mountains just like turkey.

 

[cabatli_53]

i think the T129 is the best option, because it was made to meet the requirment of the turkish army for fighting pkk in the mountains and from what i know south korea also have terrain with mountains just like turkey.

but The threat perception of S. Korea is different. They would not order those helicopters to fight against assymetric threats but N. Korea which have huge armoured mobilized troops... AH-1W, Tiger and Atak are light attack helicopters, While Apache is classified as a tank killer cause of the number of AT missiles she is able to carry so I think Apache has more chance than all others...

 

[BordoEnes]

but The threat perception of S. Korea is different. They would not order those helicopters to fight against assymetric threats but N. Korea which have huge armoured mobilized troops... AH-1W, Tiger and Atak are light attack helicopters, While Apache is classified as a tank killer cause of the number of AT missiles she is able to carry so I think Apache has more chance than all others...

I just think that Light attack helicopter are more then enough to counter such cheap and old equipment of the N korean army, Most of the armies tank are old first Gen T54/55 some slightly upgraded and there APC are also old. Dont see the reason why they should buy apaches

 

[TrMhMt]

Competitors;

AH-1W SuperCobra- Bell = USA
AH-64D Block III - Boeing = USA
EC-665 Tiger - Eurocopter = French
T-129 Atak - TAI = Turkey

Hope T-129 Atak get the tender among those big players.

I hope so ..
Are they going to buy heavy or light attack helicopter? I know that AH-64D is heavy attack helicopter.

 

[cabatli_53]

I just think that Light attack helicopter are more then enough to counter such cheap and old equipment of the N korean army, Most of the armies tank are old first Gen T54/55 some slightly upgraded and there APC are also old. Dont see the reason why they should buy apaches

Both Light and Heavy attack helicopters are able to counter different range of threats from tanks to terorists without any doubt. T-129 ATAK can also be named like "TANK killer" along with "nightmare of terorists" as well cause of the AT, Cirit missiles and 20mm guns she is able to carry, but It is a light attack helicopter like Tiger and AH-1W. The most important criteria for light attack helicopters are their performances. That's why Those copters are ready for immediate use on high-hot mountainy regions, While Protection level and the amount of munitions make Apache heavier than rivals. Actually, It is just a matter of requirement of Korean officials. If they require a heavy attack helicopter with more protection, The Apache would be winner but If they need light attack helicopters as a stop gap solution until their domestic KAH light attack helicopter program passed into serial production, then I think T-129 Atak has more chance than any others...

 

[silko]

isnt t-129 italian?

 

[Archdemon]

isnt t-129 italian?

Yes it it, license produced in Turkey

 

[BordoEnes]

Both Light and Heavy attack helicopters are able to counter different range of threats from tanks to terorists without any doubt. T-129 ATAK can also be named like "TANK killer" along with "nightmare of terorists" as well cause of the AT, Cirit missiles and 20mm guns she is able to carry, but It is a light attack helicopter like Tiger and AH-1W. The most important criteria for light attack helicopters are their performances. That's why Those copters are ready for immediate use on high-hot mountainy regions, While Protection level and the amount of munitions make Apache heavier than rivals. Actually, It is just a matter of requirement of Korean officials. If they require a heavy attack helicopter with more protection, The Apache would be winner but If they need light attack helicopters as a stop gap solution until their domestic KAH light attack helicopter program passed into serial production, then I think T-129 Atak has more chance than any others...

KAH ??? Are they devolping a indigious light attack helicopter??

 

[BordoEnes]

isnt t-129 italian?

No, Its a turkish version of the A129 its made to meet the requirment of the Turkish army, it only uses the chassis of the A129 the rest are all turkish Tech. We can sell it to any country in the world accept italy and UK.

 

[-------]

Turkey has Majority rights of the T-129, but of course it's based off A-129 so it will have alot of Italian mechanical systems on-board.

I also dislike the choice of going for T-129, the helicopter was built exclusively for Anti-Tank role so they missed out the Cannon. Now that they've added the Cannon, it looks tottally out of place with external ammunition

 

[cabatli_53]

isnt t-129 italian?

I will list some key points of T-129 Atak program for the people who do not have any idea about it.

T-129 Atak is an Italian/Turkish collaboration program and containing both Italian and Turkish systems (Great majority of systems are Turkish) on it, not licence production of an Italian helicopter and ALL development steps have been carried out by ATAK TEAM (Aselsan-Agusta Westland-TAI).

The INTELLECTUAL and PROPERTY RIGHTS of T-129 ATAK belongs to TAI/Turkey.

Turkey is responsible for international marketing and sales of the design.

Turkish institutes are SOLE source at Majority parts of T-129 Atak at export markets.

TAI shall be the sole source for its work share under the ATAK program for all potential future world wide sales of the T129 ATAK Helicopter as well.

TAI will provide integrated logistics support for their whole life cycle.

Education of pilots are under TAI's responsibilities.

Turkey's Havelsan was charced to develop Atak simulators for education.

All certifications of helicopters are under TAI's responsibility.

All future variants of T-129 Atak will also be carried out by TAI/Agusta Westland collaboration.

If TAI demands, Turkish officials will give licence rights of T-129 for 3th countries to make them produce the components.

Risk factors, Failures at development steps are under TAI's responsibilities.

Sole sourcing rights in the world for the fuselage, including Final Assembly and Flight Operations belongs to TAI.

 

[cabatli_53]

With sucessfull conclusion of Atak program, Turkey will join into a new league. As you see that International sources name Turkey as an attack helicopter exporter country along with USA, French. Even if the T-129 doesn't win the deal, it will get enough publicity in International media until the winner is announced. The develoopments and updates of the ATAK programme will be followed closely which would make a great publicity. The prestige of the name "Turkey" will be increased and All those developments will be reflected into Turkish foreign policies as well. As some big players are doing, All those strategic systems will be used as a toy for relations to prejudice the negative conditions in favor of Turkish wishes. The self-confidence and self sufficiency, Advanced defence industry gives, will temper the expressions of Turkish politicians to find a proper solution for the problems occuring the agenda such as Cyprus, Aegean...etc and When It is needed, In near future, Turkey will not abstain to threaten the countries acting like an enemy against Turkish national interests in terms of politic/economic and jeostrategic subjects.

 

[Oldman1]

I would say Apache would win. Close relationship with the U.S. as well as South Korean experience with the American Apaches based in SK.