P.M. BRIEFING : Pact Links Sikorsky, Korean Air
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SEOUL — The South Korean government has chosen the U.S. firm Sikorsky for a $1-billion joint helicopter production project with Korean Air Lines, a Defense Ministry spokesman said today.
“The quality of combat strength in the army will surely be improved by support from helicopters,” the spokesman said.
The ministry said production of Sikorsky’s UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter would also help to develop South Korea’s aerospace industry.
Korean Air officials said the contract would allow it to produce the 14-seat helicopters under license beginning in 1992. Neither they nor the ministry said how many copters will be produced nor how long co-production will go on.
In 1987, Korean Air signed a preliminary contact with Sikorsky, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., to produce the Blackhawks jointly if they won ministry approval.
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