Page 9 - ADT SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2023 Latest Magazine | GBP

The KF-21’s EW suite and state-of-the embedded training system will Earlier this year, L3Harris Technologies
come from LIG Nex1. Hanwha Aerospace will also produce the KF-21’s announced a teaming agreement with Israel
GE F414-400K under license in Korea. MBDA is working closely with Aerospace Industries’ ELTA Systems Group (IAI/
KAI for integration of the Meteor beyond-visual range air-to-air mis- ELTA) and Korean Air Lines to deliver the next
sile (BVRAAM) on KF-21 and is also executing several offset projects generation of survivable, high-altitude Airborne
with Korean industry. Earlier this year, KAI successfully completed the Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft for
first release of a Meteor missile from the KF-21. “The missile release the ROKAF. The AEW&C solution on offer is a
is an important milestone in the development of the KF-21 and the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet with IAI/
integration of the Meteor,” an MBDA spokesperson told ADT. The ELTA System’s radar and battle management
ramjet powered Meteor will significantly enhance the lethality of technology. The first two aircraft will receive
the KF-21, compared to other fighter aircraft in the region, which are
only armed with conventional rocket-powered missiles with lower structural modifications in Texas, following
range. The KF-21’s other air-to-air missile (AAM), Diehl Defence’s which they will be transferred to an ELTA facility
IRIS-T was successfully fired from the KF-21 in April, this year. “The in Israel, where the company’s advanced radar
test firing aimed at proving the safe separation of the missile from technology and artificial intelligence algorithms
the aircraft and now verifies that IRIS-T is ready to equip the KF-21 as will be integrated and tested.
one of world’s most reliable air-to-air missile,” Diehl Defence said in
a release. The European short-range air-to-air missile is also known
as the AIM-2000 and will be the KF-21’s standard short-range missile. Korean Air will lead modification and testing
activities of the remaining aircraft in the Republic
of Korea. L3Harris is the prime contractor for the
Aerial Eye programme and was also part of the Republic of
Korea Navy’s (ROKN) P-3C upgrade programme
The ROKAF is upgrading its fleet of four Boeing ‘Peace Eye’ Airborne and the delivery of a fleet of missionized Falcon
Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft. The US$433 upgrade 2000 aircraft for regional customers with spe-
effort is slated to deliver the first aircraft in late 2024 and the remain- cific surveillance requirements. Korean Air’s
ing three aircraft will be delivered in 2025. All four Peace Eye AEW&C Aerospace Division had announced its plans in
aircraft will receive upgraded Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) and July 2021 to bid as a main contractor for DAPA’s
Link-16 tactical data link systems. Boeing is the prime systems inte- second Baekdu reconnaissance aircraft devel-
grator for the upgrade and the upgraded aircraft will allow the opment project.
ROKAF greater interoperability of its fleet with the U.S. military. The
ROKAF ordered four Peace Eye aircraft in 2006 as part of a US$1.6
billion deal, with the first two aircraft delivered in 2011 and the fourth The second Baekdu project will deliver four air-
and last aircraft delivered in October 2012. ROKAF Base Gimhae is craft with advanced SIGINT, COMINT and ELINT
the Peace Eye fleet’s main operating base.
capability along with the technology to capture
foreign instrumentation signature intelligence
(FISINT) and missile launches. This will be the
second time the surveillance aircraft are being
modified and the six older Baekdu reconnais-
sance aircraft will be replaced with four newly
configured Baekdu aircraft at a total project
cost of about KRW 870 billion.

The first Baekdu reconnaissance aircraft
upgrade effort ran from 2011 to 2018 under a
KRW 400 billion won programme. Dassault’s
Falcon 2000S business jet was selected as the
platform and LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Systems
undertook the installation of the SIGINT fit on
the aircraft with Korean Air carrying out key
tasks, such as aircraft modification, integrated
logistics support, airworthiness certification and
test flights on both aircraft. Along with the two
upgraded aircraft, the ROKAF operates four
© U.S. Air Force
photo by Senior Airman Trevor Gordnier older Raytheon Hawker 800XP aircraft-based
Baekdu aircraft..
ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2023 | 9