Boeing delivers 737 AEW&C to South Korea

When the first Boeing Peace Eye 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft was delivered last month to the Republic of Korea Air Force, it included a key radar sensor designed and developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation.

Northrop Grumman's Multirole Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar, produced at the company's Electronic Systems sector facility in Baltimore, will enable airborne surveillance of the entire Korean peninsula.

Northrop Grumman is providing four MESA radars for the South Korean AEW&C program under a contract with Boeing awarded in 2007.

"Delivery of the MESA radar to the air force of South Korea reflects the increasing importance of airborne surveillance and battlespace management to this region," said Paul B. Kalafos, Jr., vice president of Northrop Grumman's Surveillance Systems business unit. "This powerful radar system will help provide mission crews with the tools needed to track airborne and maritime targets simultaneously and direct offensive and defensive forces while maintaining continuous surveillance of the operational area."

The Peace Eye program includes four 737 AEW&C aircraft plus ground support segments for mission crew training, mission support and system maintenance. The three remaining MESA radar systems are currently being integrated into the Boeing AEW&C aircraft, with delivery to the South Korean air force scheduled for 2012. South Korea is the second country to have the MESA radar in its fleet, after Australia.

Under contract with Boeing, Northrop Grumman is also supplying its MESA radar sensor for the 737 AEW&C programs in Australia and Turkey.

Source: Northrop Grumman