The South Korean Air Force, in collaboration with the AEW&C team spearheaded by L3Harris, has unveiled a sophisticated Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) solution. The heart of this AEW&C system is its incorporation of the combat-tested mission design, integrated into the advanced Bombardier Global 6500 platform. This integration ensures that the system is not only robust in capability but also cost-effective in terms of development and maintenance. The adoption of the Bombardier Global 6500, known for its high-altitude and long-range capabilities, signifies a major enhancement in the surveillance and defense capabilities of the South Korean Air Force.
Over the last twenty years, the Korea AEW&C team, which includes L3Harris, has successfully provided various clients with special mission aircraft. Their portfolio includes numerous Italian Air Force CAEW aircraft used in NATO missions and two Israeli Air Force CAEW aircraft for ongoing local operations. Remarkably, all these aircraft have maintained mission availability rates above 90%, highlighting the team’s reliability and effectiveness.
L3Harris, a prominent player in defense technology, has a proven track record in delivering various key projects, such as the P-3CK revitalization, P-3C upgrades, RC-800 Baekdu programs, and specialized surveillance aircraft to the Republic of Korea (ROK).
The proposed AEW&C solution for the ROK Air Force combines a tried-and-tested mission system design with a modular open systems approach (MOSA) digital backbone. This integration with MOSA allows for cost-effective and swift upgrades to adapt to changing threats, operational methods, and interoperability needs. Opting for a business jet platform ensures lower operational costs compared to commercial derivative solutions, along with higher readiness rates and enhanced surveillance capabilities in terms of altitude and range.
At the core of this AEW&C solution is the L3Harris platform design, which utilizes Bombardier’s Global 6500 high-altitude business jet. This platform, integrated with IAI/ELTA’s advanced radar technology and artificial intelligence algorithms, is considered the world’s most advanced airborne battle management system. The Global 6500 offers superior specifications in altitude, speed, endurance, and cost-efficiency over existing AEW&C platforms.