South Korea will receive fresh bids next month to supply its air force with four airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft by 2012, after confirming a 12-month delay to the $1.9 billion acquisition. The project stalled last December with the elimination on performance grounds of an Elta Systems/L-3 proposal of a Phalcon radar-equipped Gulfstream G550, leaving Boeing's 737-700 equipped with Northrop Grumman's Mesa radar the only candidate. Seoul will shortlist at least three companies for a new round of test and evaluation, with a selection due in December.
Source: Flight International
