The South Korean military has grounded all domestically-produced Surion utility helicopters and is conducting emergency safety inspections, sources said.
According to military officials and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) on the 12th, the Army and Marine Corps halted all flights of Surion-series helicopters at subordinate units starting the previous night and are carrying out special safety inspections.
On the 10th, a Surion helicopter operated by the South Gyeongsang Province Fire Department made a precautionary landing after a horizontal stabilizer detached during flight. The military subsequently determined that inspections of the same component were necessary for its Surion fleet.
The horizontal stabilizer is part of the helicopter's tail assembly and serves to maintain balance during flight.
The military currently operates approximately 200 Surion-series helicopters, according to sources.
KAI has dispatched technical personnel to support the military's safety inspections. The military plans to resume flights sequentially as helicopters are cleared.
Meanwhile, the military has grounded all 60 AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters following a crash on the 9th.