Washington: Senior South Korean and U.S. defense officials convened this week to explore expanding their collaboration on maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) projects to include military aircraft and tanks. This initiative was announced by Seoul's defense procurement agency, indicating a strategic shift from the current focus on naval ships.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Seok Jong-gun, Minister of South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), engaged in discussions with Vic Ramdass, the acting U.S. assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy, in Washington. The conversations centered on broadening the scope of MRO cooperation to encompass onboard equipment and essential components of platforms like aircraft and tanks. Both parties expressed interest in pursuing a pilot project.
A DAPA official highlighted that U.S. military assets stationed in South Korea, such as F-16 fighter jets, have been undergoing maintenance locally. Ongoing discussions aim to enable Seoul to potentially manage MRO projects for U.S. equipment beyond its borders.
During his two-day visit, Seok also met with acting U.S. Navy Assistant Secretary Brett Seidle to address U.S. legislation restricting the construction of U.S. naval ships abroad. Additionally, Seok conferred with Vice Admiral James Downey, leader of the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command, to identify further opportunities for collaboration in MRO endeavors.