It is capable of performing multiple mission roles including light attack, close air support, escort, and troop transport duties, replacing both the MD500 Defender and AH-1S Cobra helicopters of the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA).

The company has prompted several conceptual variants of the LAH, including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a troop-transport Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) model.

[4] Furthermore, numerous European suppliers are also involved in the programme; in June 2016, the French firm Safran Group were selected to provide the Turbomeca Arriel powerplant for both the LAH and LCH.

[7] The LAH is armed with a single chin-mounted 20mm three-barreled turret gun and fitted with stub wings for carrying both 70 mm (2.8 in) non-guided rockets and air-to-ground anti-tank missiles.

[8] Later renamed Chungum Archived 2022-08-17 at the Wayback Machine, the missile is 120 mm (4.7 in) in diameter, weighs 16 kg (35 lb), can fly at 200 m/s (720 km/h; 450 mph), and is equipped with a tandem shaped-charge warhead with impact or time delay fuses.

[10] In 2021, KAI and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) signed a separate memorandum of understanding to develop loitering munitions that may be used on the LAH.

[4] In April 2021, KAI stated that both the 20mm cannon and 70mm rockets had been integrated with the LAH's target acquisition designation sight, and that testing of the air-to-ground missile would proceed within the year.

[16][17] DAPA announced on 18 February 2022 that these tests had successfully verified the helicopter's ability to withstand cold weather conditions without impacting either its manoeuvrability and general performance.

[4] In September 2022, KAI unveiled a new variant, the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), which is intended to support operations by special forces; it is based on the LAH, but has been stripped of non-essential equipment and its troop-carrying capability maximised, not only using the internal cabin but also outboard benches akin to those used on the Boeing MH-6M Little Bird.