**Location:** Christchurch, New Zealand
**Date of Announcement:** September 30
South Korea is set to enhance its airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) capabilities with the selection of L3Harris Technologies’ Phoenix AEW&C platform, based on Bombardier’s Global 6500 airframe. This formal announcement was made on September 30, with confirmation from an L3Harris spokesperson to Defense News regarding the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) decision.
A contract for the project is expected to be signed around November, with a budget allocation of KRW3.1 trillion (approximately $2.2 billion). The objective is to complete the project for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) by 2032.
According to the spokesperson from L3Harris Technologies, this upgrade will significantly enhance the Republic of Korea Armed Forces’ ability to maintain continuous air surveillance and control in the face of increasing aerial threats. The initial production plan includes the modification of two aircraft in Texas, followed by radar integration in Israel, utilizing Elta’s ELW-2085 radar, which provides 360° coverage and has been successfully implemented in existing Israeli and Italian AEW systems.
Korean Air will oversee the completion and sustainment of the remaining two aircraft domestically, supported by partnerships with local defense companies, including LIG Nex1 and Ace Antenna. This collaboration aims to ensure that the aircraft and mission system equipment are fully supported within Korea.
L3Harris outperformed two competitors, Boeing’s E-7A and Saab’s GlobalEye, due to better assessments in operational suitability, lower operating costs, and strong cooperative prospects with local defense entities. Despite Saab’s offer having more favorable contract conditions and acquisition costs, L3Harris achieved the highest aggregate score as per DAPA evaluations with a capability to maintain operational availability rates above 95%.
Saab’s bid also proposed the Global 6500 airframe and included their Erieye-ER radar with Korea Aerospace Industries as their local partner. The ROKAF currently operates four E-737 Peace Eye AEW aircraft delivered between 2011 and 2012 but opted not to select Boeing’s E-7A, which has recently been declined in favor by the U.S. Air Force as well.
**Author:** Gordon Arthur, Asia correspondent for Defense News, currently based in New Zealand with a background of military observation across the Asia-Pacific region.
