New era in South Korean defence: Unveiling the LAH‑1 Miron
The KAI Corporation has begun delivering the multirole combat helicopters LAH-1 Miron, which are intended for the South Korean army. Developed by the Korean industry, these machines, also known as light attack helicopters, are meant to complement the fleet of South Korean AH-64E Guardians.
Seoul has ordered about 40 units of the new helicopters. LAH-1 Miron, whose target number is estimated to be around 100 units, are to replace the decommissioned Bell AH-1S Cobras and MD500 Defenders in the armed forces by 2031.
The new helicopters will simultaneously complement the heavier and more expensive specialized attack machines ordered by Seoul, such as the AH-64E Guardian.
LAH-1 Miron – a new helicopter from South Korea
The LAH-1 Miron is a new combat helicopter developed under the KHP (Korean Helicopter Program). The KHP program includes the heavier multirole machine KUH-1 Surion and the lighter, multirole or light attack helicopter, LAH-1 Miron, which has been in development since 2021.
Although the LAH-1 was developed by the South Korean corporation KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries), it is based on a proven European design, the Airbus AS365 Dauphin.
TAipers anti-tank guided missile
The LAH-1 Miron helicopter is equipped with an optoelectronic TADS (Target Acquisition Designation System) head, and its standard armament is a three-barrelled, powered 20 mm cannon. The helicopter can also carry air-to-ground weapons developed by the local industry, including the TAipers anti-tank guided missiles (also known as Chungum) with a range of 8 kilometres.
This is a new, Korean-developed anti-tank weapon capable of attacking targets that are not visible and beyond the line of sight (NLOS), as well as independently searching for them. Production of the pilot batch of TAipers missiles has already begun, and they are expected to enter service in 2026.
