Several international vendors are intent on helping South Korea bolster its airborne early warning and control capability, as the country’s Air Force plans to spend at most $2.26 billion on four aircraft. After the Defense Acquisition Program Administration issued a request for proposals in November, companies had until Feb. 22 to submit their bids.
South Korea is taking on more self-defense responsibilities from the U.S., and the new quartet of AEW&C aircraft will supplement four Boeing E-737 planes delivered around the 2011-2012 time frame. Boeing is competing with a 737-based platform again, its E-7 having the advantage of aerial refueling to give on-station times stretching to 20 hours. Saab’s GlobalEye is also competing, with the Swedish company proposing a Bombardier Global 6500 airframe.
The other contender is American firm L3Harris Technologies in tandem with Korean Air and Israel Aerospace Industries. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration declined to provide Defense News with further details. The agency is now proceeding with evaluations.
