South Korean Helicopters to Replace Soviet Aircraft in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan plans to acquire two South Korean KUH-1 helicopters for its Ministry of Emergency Situations, according to Minister Edelbek Kulmatov.

He made the announcement during a meeting of the parliamentary committee on international affairs, defense, security and migration.

The ministry intends to sign a contract with KAI Korea Aerospace Industries for the helicopters, which are expected to support search and rescue operations.

The aircraft will likely be delivered in a specialized configuration suitable for fighting forest fires. The Kyrgyz government estimates the cost of the order for two aircraft at $71 million.

The purchase will be partially financed through credit provided by South Korea under a bilateral framework agreement.

The helicopters are expected to operate in mountainous terrain, during nighttime, and under adverse weather conditions.

Phasing Out Russian Helicopters

The Ministry of Emergency Situations currently operates a small fleet of helicopters, primarily composed of Soviet-era Mi-8s and more modern variants supplied by Russia under intergovernmental agreements.

The ministry also uses Airbus H125 and H145 models but does not yet operate any aircraft adapted for firefighting.

While Russian and European firefighting helicopters could have been considered, officials say the financial terms of the South Korean offer were decisive.

The deal is part of a broader agreement, with Kyrgyzstan’s parliament currently reviewing a $500 million loan package from South Korea for national security and infrastructure projects spanning 2025 to 2029. South Korea often ties arms exports to financing agreements as part of its global defense strategy.

Russia, however, remains a key player in Kyrgyzstan’s defense sector. Russian-made S-300PS and Tor-M2KM air defense systems were recently spotted in the country’s inventory.

The delivery of Soviet-designed S-300 and Tor systems significantly enhances Kyrgyzstan’s air defense, which previously relied on aging Soviet-era S-75M3 and S-125 systems.

In late 2022, Kyrgyzstan also purchased a mobile version of the S-125 Pechora-2BM from Belarus.