European missile house MBDA announced at the ADEX 2023 defence exhibition in Seoul on 16 October 2023 that it has received a contract from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to integrate the Mistral ATAM anti-air missile system onto the Korean Marine Attack Helicopter (KMAH).
The Mistral ATAM is based on the Mistral short-range anti-air missile, which MBDA says is “known for its fire-and-forget engagement mode, ease of operation and unrivalled kill probability”.
The ATAM integration on the KMAH will include two launchers per helicopter, each carrying two missiles. Manportable Mistral air defence systems are also in service with the South Korean armed forces.
The Mistral ATAM can be launched at altitudes up to 15,000 ft while the launch platform is travelling at speeds of up to 200 kts (370.4 km/h). It travels at high supersonic speed and can engage targets at ranges of up to 8 km and at altitudes of up to 6,000 m. The missile, which weighs less than 20 kg, has a 3 kg warhead coupled with a laser proximity and impact fuze.
Unveiled by KAI at the ADEX show in 2021, the KMAH is the armed variant of the Marineon helicopter, which is a variant of KAI’s KUH-1 Surion.
KAI received a contract from South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to develop the KMAH for the Republic of Korea Marine Corps in October 2022.
