Korean Air has signed a military aircraft maintenance cooperation agreement with Thailand’s state-owned Thai Aviation Industries in Busan, opening a new depot-level support line for the Royal Thai Army’s UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The partnership gives Korean Air an initial foothold in Thailand’s military maintenance market and expands its defence MRO activity in Southeast Asia, with work to begin on the helicopter fleet before extending to other Thai military aircraft.
The agreement was signed at Korean Air’s Tech Center and links the airline’s long experience in military maintenance with TAI’s local infrastructure and network. Korean Air has more than five decades of military MRO experience, has handled more than 5,500 military aircraft and has supported UH-60 helicopters since 1991. It also recently won a UH-60 performance upgrade contract, reinforcing its role in the platform’s support chain.
Under the cooperation, Korean Air will also help standardise maintenance processes and provide technical training for Thai personnel. No financial terms or implementation timetable were disclosed.