South Korea's air force plans to test-fly the Boeing 737-based Wedgetail this week as part of its evaluation of two platforms for its four-aircraft airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft requirement.
An evaluation team will visit Boeing in Seattle and radar supplier Northrop Grumman in Baltimore as part of the process, which industry sources say includes an agreement for the team to fly the Wedgetail between the two cities. Equipped with Northrop Grumman's Mesa radar, the aircraft is being developed for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), which is to acquire six.
While in the USA, sources say the evaluation team will also visit Gulfstream and L-3, which are teamed with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) in a rival proposal for a G550 business jet-based solution with Elta's Phalcon radar. The team will also next week visit IAI and its subsidiary Elta to view a new multi-mission G550 which is in the advanced stages of production ahead of its delivery to launch customer the Israeli air force early next year.
Australia's first Wedgetail platform conducted its debut flight last May, and is now involved in a six-month flight test programme ahead of its delivery to the RAAF in 2006.
South Korea plans to select a winner for its AEW&C requirement in November, with sources citing the larger 737-based solution as the current front-runner.
Source: Flight International
