South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense announced Tuesday that it will launch a joint pilot project with the U.S. to conduct depot-level maintenance on CH-47 Chinook helicopter engines in South Korea. The project, agreed to at the 57th U.S.-ROK Logistics Cooperation Committee meeting in Seoul, marks the first aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) initiative involving South Korean defense firms following last year’s naval vessel MRO collaboration.

The defense ministry said the pilot aims to build depot-level overhaul capabilities through joint training and technology transfer. The move will allow the U.S. Army to conduct heavy maintenance on Chinook engines