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The US Department of State has approved a US$4.29 billion ($6.5 billion) foreign military sale of four E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft to the Republic of Korea.
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This acquisition will see the doubling of the Republic of Korea Air Force’s airborne early warning and control aircraft fleet, dominated by the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft.
The Royal Australian Air Force was the launch customer for the E-7 Wedgetail platform and was joined by the Republic of Korea Air Force and the Turkish Air Force, which currently operates the E-7.
As part of the sale, the Republic of Korea requested four E-7 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft; 10 CFM56 jet engines, including eight installed and two spares; seven Guardian Laser Transmitter Assembly; eight AN/AAR-57 AN/AAQ 24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures System Processor Replacement, including four installed, with four spares; and 10 Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems.
The US State Department said: “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. It will also increase the ROK 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.”
This decision comes following the recent announcement that Boeing had completed the construction of the UK Royal Air Force’s first E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft.
Boeing is also building two rapid prototype E-7 aircraft for the USAF, and in 2023, NATO announced the selection of the E-7 for its early warning and control mission. The growing global E-7 fleet provides mission systems interoperability, mission readiness and life cycle cost advantages, as well as a common technical growth path to stay ahead of global threats.
