Seoul ponders possible avenues for extra AEW&C aircraft
The ROKAF currently has four Boeing 737 AEW&C Peace Eye aircraft in service. (Gordon Arthur)
Industry sources suspect that South Korea will increase its follow-on AEW&C aircraft buy to four units.
South Korea currently owns four Boeing 737 AEW&C aircraft delivered in 2011-12. Still, it has a requirement to expand this AEW fleet as Seoul seeks to take on more responsibility for security on the Korean peninsula from the US.
Last year, the Defense Project Promotion Committee approved a purchase of two extra AEW aircraft for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF). This AEW-II project is slated for 2021-25, with a budget of KRW1.334 trillion ($1.2 billion) approved for the actual aircraft.
There are likely three leading contenders for what will be a competitive tender exercise: Boeing’s 737 Peace Eye
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