MD-500 Defender (North Korea Illicit Copy)

MD-500 Defender (North Korea Illicit Copy)

Type: Naval Helicopter

Domain: air

Country of Origin: North Korea

Manufacturer: Korean Peoples Army Munitions Industry

First Deployed: 1985

Overview

North Korea illegally obtained approximately 87 Hughes MD-500 Defender light helicopters in 1983 through a third-country arms embargo violation, and subsequently produced domestic copies. Used primarily for reconnaissance and light attack, the MD-500 is agile and compact. Without access to original US components, domestic copies are of uncertain quality and reliability. Limited weapons capacity and lack of modern sensors restrict operational utility significantly.

Technical Specifications

range430 km
engine1x Allison 250-C20B (original)
length9.4 m
armament7.62mm minigun or 70mm unguided rockets (limited)
max_speed282 km/h
service_ceiling4,815 m
main_rotor_diameter8.05 m

Operators

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