The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) has received its first three ordered Bell 505 helicopters, Bell Textron Inc. said Monday.
The delivery is part of a contract signed in May 2022 by Bell and the Republic of Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration for delivery of up to 40 of the light single helicopters by 2025 for use as trainers by both the country’s army and navy.
“The Republic of Korea Armed Forces’ decision to induct the Bell 505 is a testament to their need for an advanced helicopter training platform,” said Sameer Rehman, managing director of Asia Pacific for Bell. “We are privileged to play a part in building these critical capabilities and supporting the Armed Forces’ fleet with our industry-leading aftermarket programs.”
The five-seat aircraft features a Garmin G1000NXi glass cockpit, dual-channel, FADEC-controlled engine, and is, according to Bell, “the most advanced short light single-engine aircraft on the market.”
More than 400 Bell 505 helicopters have been produced since they were introduced in 2017. With the order, South Korea joins a growing list of countries that use the aircraft as a trainer for military pilots, including the Indonesian Navy, Jamaica Defense Force Air Wing, Japan Coast Guard, Horizon International Flight Academy of the United Arab Emirates, Armed Forces of Montenegro, and Royal Jordanian Air Force.
“Militaries around the world want to modernize their fleets, and that includes their training aircraft,” LaShan Bonaparte, vice president of commercial sales at Bell, said last year. “By incorporating the technology typically only found on larger helicopters, military pilots training on the Bell 505 can transition to these military aircraft more quickly and with greater familiarity. Decreasing adaptation time is one of the key considerations for militaries when selecting a new training aircraft.”
