The State Department approved a potential Foreign Military Sale of $4.92 billion in Boeing [BA] E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft to South Korea.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress late on Nov. 4. 

An E-7A Wedgetail takes off from Eielson AFB, Alaska (Royal Australian Air Force Photo)
An E-7A Wedgetail takes off from Eielson AFB, Alaska (Royal Australian Air Force Photo)

South Korea’s sale request includes four E-7s, 10 CFM56 jet engines (8 installed, 2 spares); seven Guardian Laser Transmitter Assemblies (GLTA) (4 installed, 3 spares); eight AN/AAR-57 AN/AAQ 24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) System Processor Replacements (LSPR) (four installed, four spares); other sensors, radios, navigation and related aircraft technologies as well as elements of various logistical and program support.

DSCA said South Korea’s Air Force will use the aircraft to meet its current and future threats by providing increased intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and airborne early warning and control capabilities.

The agency added these aircraft will help South Korea increase their command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) interoperability with the United States.

South Korea currently has four E-7s but has been looking at alternatives rather than just buying four more in a wider ranging airborne early warning competition.

Last year, L3Harris said it planned to offer the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet equipped with Israel Aerospace Industries‘ ELTA Systems’ air moving target indication radar in Korea’s competition (Defense Daily, Oct. 27, 2023).

In May, the Air Force acquisition chief said Boeing negotiators on American Air Force E-7s cut the price to be in line with government budget limits after the initial Boeing proposal was almost twice the budgeted funding. The official said the original budgeting figure form the government was based on information from Boeing (Defense Daily, May 8).