South Korea has received clearance to purchase four Boeing-made E-7 airborne early warning and control aircraft, known as the Wedgetail, for nearly $5 billion. This approval was granted by the State Department on Monday.
The deal includes not only the E-7 aircraft but also 10 CFM56 jet engines—eight installed on the Wedgetails and two spare engines—as well as countermeasures, missile warning systems, GPS navigation systems, transponders, and communication radio systems to enhance defense capabilities.
The E-7 is equipped with airborne battle management, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, enabling operators to monitor battlefields and track the movements of allies, adversaries, and civilians. The Wedgetail is already in use by the Australian Air Force, and the U.S. Air Force intends to acquire up to 26 of these aircraft to update its aging E-3 Sentry AWACS fleet.
The State Department has stated that the sale of the Wedgetails to South Korea will bolster the security of this key ally and support U.S. foreign policy and national security goals. Additionally, the aircraft will enhance South Korea’s intelligence and surveillance capabilities while improving cooperation between the South Korean air force and the U.S. military.
According to officials, South Korea “will have no difficulty” integrating the Wedgetails into its current fleet. The $4.92 billion sale is expected to maintain the existing military balance in the region, a common phrase included in congressional notifications for proposed arms sales.
The E-7 offers a significant technological advancement over the E-3, as it possesses an advanced Northrop Grumman sensor capable of focusing on multiple targets and quickly refreshing its view, unlike the E-3’s rotating radome that takes 10 seconds to complete a rotation. Boeing officials noted in 2023 that the E-7’s “ability to stare” allows operators to obtain a continuously updated picture of target movements, which is crucial when tracking fast-moving aircraft.
The E-7 is built from modified 737-700 airframes, with initial construction by Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas. Boeing then modifies the airframe at its Renton, Washington facility to support the weight of its multirole electronically scanned array (MESA), in addition to enhancing the aircraft’s landing gear and wings for increased lift capacity.
Stephen Losey, the air warfare reporter for Defense News, previously covered leadership and personnel matters at Air Force Times and specialized in operations at Military.com. He has reported on U.S. Air Force activities in the Middle East.
