South Korea to Enhance Air Space Defense with Latest Military Transaction

The United States has greenlit the potential sale of airborne early warning and control systems to South Korea as part of a nearly $5 billion military package. On November 4, the State Department announced the approval for the sale of four E-7 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft, along with 10 jet engines and additional systems and support, estimated to cost around $4.92 billion. This move follows reports of North Korea launching a series of short-range ballistic missiles earlier that week.

The E-7 aircraft, commonly referred to as Wedgetails, are designed to enhance South Korea's capabilities in detecting missiles and other aerial threats more effectively than traditional ground-based radar systems. The State Department emphasized that this proposed sale would bolster South Korea’s ability to tackle both current and future threats by enhancing its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, as well as its overall command and control systems.

Moreover, the acquisition is expected to improve the interoperability of the Republic of Korea Air Force with the United States in terms of command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities. While the Defense Acquisition Program Administration of South Korea has not officially commented on the U.S. authorization, sources indicate that Boeing is among the companies being considered for this airborne early warning aircraft initiative.