South Korea to Strengthen Airborne Surveillance and Reconnaissance Capabilities

Dark/Light Mode (14/08/24)  Korean Air and the U.S. defense contractor L3Harris Technologies held an 'L3 Industry Day' at the Air Force Hotel in Seoul on Tuesday, to discuss strengthening the South Korean Air Force's airborne surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

Attendees included Jung Woo Park, Senior Vice President and Head of Korean Air's Aerospace Business Division, Jason W. Lambert, President of L3Harris Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), and representatives from 30 domestic and international defense companies, including Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), ELTA Systems, LIG Nex1, Yeonhab Precision, and Han-ul Systems.

The Republic of Korea Air Force is looking to acquire additional Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) systems to enhance its surveillance capabilities.

From left: Jason W. Lambert, President, L3Harris (ISR); Michael Calderone, RVP, Bombardier Defense; Asaf Sharvit, VP & GM, Airborne Systems and Radar Division, ELTA Systems; Jung Woo Park, SVP and Head of Aerospace Business Division, Korean Air; and Chan Ho Kook, Head of C5ISR Business Division, LIG Nex1

Such aircraft serve as airborne command centers, providing comprehensive airspace monitoring and real-time control of military operations.

Currently, the Korean Air Force operates four Boeing E-737 'Peace Eye' airborne control aircraft and a second phase of the project, with a budget of KRW 2.9 trillion (approximately US$2.1 billion), is underway to procure additional aircraft by 2031.

L3Harris has proposed a solution for the second phase, integrating Bombardier's Global 6500 aircraft with IAI's state-of-the-art radar systems.

Korean Air, leveraging its 2022 cooperation agreement with L3Harris, will contribute to aircraft modification, parts manufacturing, and operational training.

The project is expected to provide the domestic defense industry with opportunities for technology transfer, enhancing indigenous capabilities and facilitating integration into global supply chains.

“If L3Harris’ Global 6500 AEW&C solution is selected, we will leverage domestic industrial cooperation to achieve our goal of Korean Made – Korean Operated – Korean Maintained,” said Jason W. Lambert, President of L3Harris Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). “We look forward to collaborating with local industry on aircraft modification, mission system production, logistics, and MRO support to enhance the safety, security and overall well-being of the Republic of Korea.”

Since 1978, Korean Air has maintained and performed various performance improvements on approximately 6,000 Korean and U.S. military aircraft.

Such operations are conducted at the airline’s Busan Tech Center, Korean Air's military aircraft maintenance base, which is the largest such facility in the Asia-Pacific region.

The tech center’s proven expertise and advanced facilities position it as a key asset for the proposed AEW&C project, offering comprehensive capabilities in aircraft modification, systems integration, and long-term fleet maintenance.

“This strategic collaboration will enable Korean Air to acquire and develop cutting-edge technologies in the modification, systems integration, and comprehensive maintenance of advanced special mission aircraft,” said Jung Woo Park, Head of Korean Air’s Aerospace Business Division. “As a frontrunner in Korea's aviation sector, we are dedicated to cultivating strategic alliances within the defense industry and bolstering the entire aerospace aftermarket value chain.”

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