The US government has cleared a possible sale of four Boeing E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to South Korea.
The possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) deal is valued at $4.9 billion, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
Including the four 737 derivatives, the package includes a broad range of communications and self-defence systems, spare parts, as well as other services and support related to the possible deal.
“This proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea’s ability to meet current and future threats by providing increased intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and airborne early warning and control capabilities,” says the DSCA.
“It will also increase the [South Korean air force’s] command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance interoperability with the United States. Korea will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment and support into its armed forces.”
The DSCA announcement comes as Seoul looks to obtain four aircraft under its AEW&C II requirement, adding to its four E-7 ‘Peace Eye’ aircraft.
Other competitors for the requirement do not fall under the US government’s FMS system.
Saab has put forward its GlobalEye platform based on the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet.
In October, the Swedish company and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) entered a memorandum of understanding, under which the pair will undertake industrial co-operation should the GlobalEye win. This could see KAI conducting extensive work on the aircraft.
Also competing for the requirement is a team comprising L3Harris, Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD), and Elta Systems with another Global 6500-based aircraft, the Phoenix AEW&C.
Under this arrangement, the third and fourth Phoenix AEW&C aircraft would be built locally by KAL-ASD.
