30 juin 2020 | International, Aérospatial

South Korea to spend $2 billion on aircraft buy

By:

MELBOURNE, Australia – South Korea is set to acquire more airborne surveillance and intelligence gathering aircraft, as the U.S. ally seeks to bolster its capabilities in both areas.

The country's Defense Project Promotion Committee approved last Friday plans to acquire an undisclosed number of airborne early warning and control, or AEW&C aircraft, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration or DAPA.

The committee also approved plans to acquire more signals intelligence or SIGINT gathering aircraft. Approximately $1.3 billion has been earmarked for the acquisition of the AEW&C aircraft for entry into service by 2027 while a further $725 million has been set aside for the SIGINT platforms, which are expected to enter service in 2026.

The announcement did not disclose the platforms being pursued for either program, but South Korea is almost certain to go with additional Boeing 737 AEW&C aircraft. The Republic of Korea Air Force or ROKAF is already operating four such aircraft, acquired from the United States under the Peace Eye program, since 2012.

The Peace Eye 737s are derivatives of Boeing's 737 Next Generation airliners fitted with a distinctive dorsal radar housing containing a Northrop Grumman Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array or MESA radar. The L-band radar is reportedly capable of simultaneous air and sea search, fighter control and area search, simultaneously tracking 180 targets and conducting 24 intercepts.

The DAPA announcement said the acquisition of additional AEW&C aircraft will be to further minimize gaps in South Korea's air defence coverage. South Korea has in recent months publicised the intercept of Chinese and Russian military aircraft entering the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone or KADIZ.

The new SIGINT aircraft will be used to replace four older platforms based on the Hawker 800 business jets. DAPA says the new aircraft will be equipped with indigenous systems and will serve alongside two Dassault Falcon 2000 SIGINT aircraft delivered to the ROKAF in 2017.

The older Hawker 800 platforms were acquired in 1996 under the Paekdu project and were modified by E-Systems Incorporated for its SIGINT role. The aircraft were delivered in the early 2000s along with four other Hawker 800XPs modified for imagery reconnaissance with synthetic aperture radars and moving target indicators.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2020/06/29/south-korea-to-spend-2-billion-on-aircraft-buy/

Sur le même sujet

  • Saab Signs Framework Agreement for AT4 and Carl-Gustaf Ammunition with the United States Government

    10 juillet 2019 | International, Autre défense

    Saab Signs Framework Agreement for AT4 and Carl-Gustaf Ammunition with the United States Government

    Saab has signed a multi-year framework agreement with the U.S. Government, which allows the U.S. Army, U.S. Marines and U.S. Special Forces to place orders for up to USD 445 million (approximately SEK 4.2 billion) during a five-year period. The recently signed framework agreement allows the customer to place orders for Saab's AT4 disposable weapon system and ammunition for the Carl-Gustaf® recoilless rifle. A first purchase order of USD 83 million (approximately SEK 771 million) was released at the signing of the agreement. “This framework agreement further strengthens our relationship with the U.S. Armed Forces, who have been users of our ground combat systems for decades. We see these continued investments as a clear proof that the customer values the flexibility and effectiveness of our systems,” says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab business area Dynamics. The order was booked in Q2 2019. Both Saab's AT4 and Carl-Gustaf (designated MAAWS in the U.S.) have long track records in the U.S. Since 1987, Saab has delivered more than 600,000 AT4s, both directly and under license, to U.S. forces. The Carl-Gustaf system has been a program of record in the U.S. since 2013 and in 2018 it was announced that U.S. Army will acquire the latest version of the system – the Carl-Gustaf M4 (designated M3E1 in the U.S.). https://saabgroup.com/media/news-press/news/2019-07/saab-signs-framework-agreement-for-at4-and-carl-gustaf-ammunition-with-the-united-states-government/

  • Lockheed construit sa relation avec l’industrie belge

    26 mars 2019 | International, Aérospatial

    Lockheed construit sa relation avec l’industrie belge

    Par Benoit Gilson Alors que l'industrie belge manifestait une inquiétude croissante quant aux retours industriels du contrat passé entre la Belgique et Lockheed pour l'acquisition de 34 F-35, le constructeur américain a surtout voulu rassurer, ce jeudi 21, en organisant une séance de signatures à l'impact surtout symbolique. Lockheed, qui a également profité de l'occasion pour rappeler les atouts de son appareil, a ainsi signé des engagements de potentiels partenariats avec 22 industriels belges. S'ouvre ainsi une période d'environ 1 an, durant laquelle les industriels belges concernés vont pouvoir répondre à divers appels d'offres de Lockheed autour du F-35. Des appels d'offres qui ne concerneront pas seulement les 34 appareils de la Composante Air de la Défense belge, mais aussi le reste de la production de F-35, notamment à travers l'introduction de fournisseurs en deuxième ou en troisième source pour un certain nombre de composants. Nous reviendrons sur ces signatures et les perspectives offertes aux industriels belges dans notre prochaine édition. Les industriels belges concernés à ce stade sont : 3D Systems AMI Metals ASCO BEC BMT Additive BMT Aerospace Esterline Belgium Feronyl Hexcel Composites Ignition ! ILIAS Solutions imec inno.com Luciad Prodata Systems Proximus SABCA Sabena Aerospace Safran Solvay Sonaca Thales Belgium http://www.air-cosmos.com/lockheed-construit-sa-relation-avec-l-industrie-belge-121749

  • KONGSBERG signs new contract for Naval Strike Missiles to Spain

    18 décembre 2023 | International, Terrestre

    KONGSBERG signs new contract for Naval Strike Missiles to Spain

    The missiles are intended to be deployed on the F-100 frigates during their Mid-Life Update, as well as on future ships.

Toutes les nouvelles