Attendees included Jung Woo Park, Senior Vice President and Head of Korean Air's Aerospace Business Division, Jason W. Lambert, President of L3Harris Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), and representatives from 30 domestic and international defense companies, including Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), ELTA Systems, LIG Nex1, Yeonhab Precision, and Han-ul Systems.
The Republic of Korea Air Force aims to acquire additional Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) systems to enhance its surveillance capabilities. These advanced aircraft serve as airborne command centers, providing comprehensive airspace monitoring and real-time control of military operations.
Currently, the Korean Air Force operates four Boeing E-737 'Peace Eye' airborne control aircraft. A second phase of the project, with a budget of KRW 2.9 trillion, is underway to procure additional aircraft by 2031.
L3Harris has proposed a solution for the second phase, integrating Bombardier's Global 6500 aircraft with IAI's state-of-the-art radar systems. Korean Air, leveraging its 2022 cooperation agreement with L3Harris, will contribute to aircraft modification, parts manufacturing, and operational training. This project is expected to provide the domestic defense industry with opportunities for technology transfer, enhancing indigenous capabilities and facilitating integration into global supply chains.
"This strategic collaboration will enable Korean Air to acquire and develop cutting-edge technologies in the modification, systems integration, and comprehensive maintenance of advanced special mission aircraft," said Jung Woo Park, Head of Korean Air’s Aerospace Business Division. "As a frontrunner in Korea's aviation sector, we are dedicated to cultivating strategic alliances within the defense industry and bolstering the entire aerospace aftermarket value chain."
“If L3Harris’ Global 6500 AEW&C solution is selected, we will leverage domestic industrial cooperation to achieve our goal of Korean Made – Korean Operated – Korean Maintained,” said Jason W. Lambert, President of L3Harris Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). “We look forward to collaborating with local industry on aircraft modification, mission system production, logistics, and MRO support to enhance the safety, security and overall well-being of the Republic of Korea.”
Since 1978, Korean Air has maintained and performed various performance improvements on approximately 6,000 Korean and U.S. military aircraft. These operations are conducted at the airline’s Busan Tech Center, Korean Air's military aircraft maintenance base, which is the largest such facility in the Asia-Pacific region.The Tech Center’s proven expertise and advanced facilities position it as a key asset for the proposed AEW&C project, offering comprehensive capabilities in aircraft modification, systems integration, and long-term fleet maintenance.
About Korean Air
Serving the world for more than 55 years, Korean Air is one of the world's top 20 airlines, carrying more than 27 million passengers in 2019, pre-COVID. With its global hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the airline serves 111 cities in 39 countries on five continents with a modern fleet of 159 aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees.
Korean Air's outstanding performance and commitment to the highest level of safety and customer service has widely been recognized. The airline has been granted numerous awards including a 5-star airline rating from Skytrax as well as Air Transport World’s Airline of the Year and Cargo Operator of the Year awards.
Korean Air is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, and has grown into one of the largest transpacific airlines through its joint venture with Delta Air Lines.
For more information about Korean Air, please visit www.koreanair.com, Korean Air Newsroom, facebook.com/KoreanAir, instagram.com/KoreanAirworld and Twitter@KoreanAir_KE
Tags: L3Harris Technologies, Jung Woo Park, Aerospace Business Division, Korean Air
