KAI announced on the 19th August that it has successfully completed the first flight of the initial LAH prototype. The test with two flight pilots on board was conducted in KAI's headquarters for about 20 minutes.

Setting out the development of the LAH in June 2015, KAI finished its basic design and critical design on August 2016 and on November 2017, respectively, followed by the show off of its protoype on December 2018.

Starting from January this year, KAI conducted the ground test to confirm the main systems and their stability. On the first flight readiness review held in June, the company obtained approval for the LAH's flight test.

The LAH is equipped with the state of the art avionics suite and 1,032 horse power-class new engines, KAI envisions developing the LAH as a far more upgraded copter than the currently operating armed one, which will continue to reinforce the air power of the Korean military in years to come.

"I am thankful to all the people who made efforts for the successful flight of the LAH," said KAI CEO Kim Jo-Won. "We will make an aircraft in which the military and the people can trust via the more thorough flight test evaluation, given that we started entering into the turning point of the development stage.'