South Korean Marines receive final batch of Marineons
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) delivered the final MUH-1 Marineon helicopter to the Daehanminguk Haebyeongdae (RoKMC, Republic of Korea Marine Corps) on 28 June 2023. It is believed a total of 30 MUH-1s were ordered in 2016 with deliveries starting a year later. Beginning 2018 the first two were transferred to the 1st Marine Division, 1st Aviation Battalion at Pohang.
The MUH-1 Marineon (MUH = Marine Utility Helicopter) is a sea-based amphibious variant of the KUH-1 Surion in service with the RoK Army. It has a 96 percent commonality with the Surion but has various modifications including an integrated flotation system, auxiliary fuel tank and specialised radio equipment. After a crash at Pohang of Marineon 17002, production was temporarily stopped, but continued after the cause of the crash, a faulty main rotor mast, was determined.
Besides operating from two land bases, Pohang and Yagam-ri, the MUH-1 Marineons often deploy on RoK Navy ships. Most recently, two Marineons were noted aboard the ROKS Marado (LPH-6112) at Gladstone, Queensland Australia on 18 July.
Photo by Korea Aerospace Industries