Korean Air partners with TAI on Thai military aircraft MRO

Korean Air has signed a strategic partnership with Thailand's state-owned Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) to provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for Thai military aircraft. The agreement, signed on September 2, 2026, marks the South Korean carrier's latest move into the Southeast Asian defense market.

Hyeoncheol Cho, Vice President and Head of Korean Air's Defense Business Department, and Piboon Vorravanpreecha, Managing Director of TAI, formalized the deal at Korean Air's Tech Center in Busan.

Initial focus on Black Hawks

The collaboration will begin with depot-level maintenance for the Royal Thai Army's fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The partners plan to later expand the work to include other military aircraft operated by the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

Korean Air will also assist TAI in standardizing military aircraft maintenance processes and will provide technical training for Thai personnel. The airline's aerospace division has been involved with the UH-60 platform since 1991, when it began producing the helicopters.

Combining expertise and infrastructure

TAI is responsible for the maintenance and logistical support for all Thai military aircraft. The partnership aims to combine Korean Air's technical know-how with TAI's established local maintenance network and infrastructure.

Korean Air brings over 50 years of military aircraft maintenance experience to the agreement. Its aerospace division has completed depot-level maintenance and performance upgrades for more than 5,500 aircraft.

The division specializes in three core areas: designing and manufacturing complex aircraft structures, providing comprehensive MRO and upgrade services for military aircraft, and developing advanced unmanned aerial vehicles and space launch technologies.

Strategic market expansion

Hyeoncheol Cho stated the partnership is a key step in extending Korean Air's MRO capabilities into Southeast Asia. "By combining our military aircraft maintenance expertise with TAI's strong local network, we aim to expand our presence in the regional and global MRO markets," he said.

The deal with TAI adds to Korean Air's growing military MRO activities in the region. It comes as Southeast Asian nations continue investing in the maintenance and upgrading of their defense aviation fleets.

The airline recently secured a major contract to upgrade the performance of UH-60 helicopters, building on more than three decades of direct experience with the type.