As reported by the South Korean defense procurement agency Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), on January 15, 2023, it signed memoranda of understanding with the State Fund for Defense and Security Development of the United Arab Emirates Tawazun Council on strategic cooperation in the field of defense industry and on the UAE's accession to the implementation of the South Korean aircraft corporation Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) program to create a promising multi-purpose medium military transport aircraft MS-X.
A model of the advance project of the South Korean promising multi-purpose medium military transport aircraft KAI MC-X at the exposition of the exhibition DX Korea 2022. Seoul, September 2022 (c) KAIUnder the terms of the second memorandum, both sides will carry out joint investments, research and technological developments for the MS-X project, which "will contribute to the further development of bilateral cooperation in the military industry."
The value of the UAE's planned investments in the MS-X program is estimated at $3.2 billion. This agreement is an integral part of the investment program of several signed agreements, under which the UAE plans to allocate a total of up to $ 30 billion for the development of the defense and energy sector of South Korea.
The advance design of the promising medium military transport aircraft MS-X (Multi-mission Cargo eXperimental) with the preliminary unofficial name Orca ("Killer Whale") in the class of Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and Embraer C-390 aircraft was first presented to KAI in 2021, the model of the advance design of the MS-X aircraft was first demonstrated at the South Korean defense at the DX Korea 2022 exhibition in September 2022. At the DX Korea 2022 exhibition, KAI representatives stated that the development of the MC-X aircraft would take approximately "seven to eight years".
According to the information published by KAI on the advance project, the MS-X should have a high-wing scheme with a tail cargo ramp and be equipped with two two-circuit turbojet engines of an unselected type with a maximum thrust of 30 thousand pounds (13,500 kg). The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft will be 92,000 kg, and the payload weight will be up to 30,000 kg. The length of the aircraft is about 40.3 m, the height is 13.5 m and the wingspan is 41.1 m, the maximum speed is 926 km/h and the flight range is up to 7000 km.
Image of the advance design of the South Korean promising multi-purpose medium military transport aircraft KAI MS-X (c) KAI