The US State Department has approved possible sales of the Boeing E-7 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft to South Korea under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) scheme, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in early November.
The proposed deal comprises four E-7 AEW&C and associated logistics and technical support and is worth an estimated cost of US$4.92 billion.
According to the DSCA, the package also includes ten CFM International CFM56 engines – eight installed and two spares – as well as seven Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies (GLTA), eight AN/AAR-57 AN/AAQ 24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM); ten Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) (EGI) with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM), and six Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems with Tactical Targeting Network Technology (MIDS JTRS TTNT).
Other equipment include radios, digital radar warning receivers, electronic countermeasure dispensers, missile warning sensors, identification friend or foe (IFF) transponders; and equipment, cryptography systems and secure communications equipment, precision navigation, and computing systems.
“This proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea’s ability to meet current and future threats by providing increased intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and airborne early warning and control capabilities,” the DSCA stated.
“It will also increase the ROK Air Force’s command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) interoperability with the United States. Korea will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and support into its armed forces,” added the DSCA.
South Korea is aggressively expanding its airborne early warning capabilities. It is also pursuing the AEW&CII program, with the latest contender being Swedish defence prime Saab. The company announced on 2 October that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to participate in the tender using a modified Bombardier Global 6500 business jet. US prime L3Harris has teamed up with Korean Air and Israel’s IAI Elta for the same programme, also using the same platform.
by Jr Ng
