South Korea Seeks Bids for $2.26B AWACS Aircraft Procurement

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has sought bids from international companies to supply Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.

The official notice was published on April 1 with the initial bid submission deadline set for April 19.

According to DAPA, the Defense Project Promotion Committee deliberated and decided on the draft purchase plan of the additional AEW&C aircraft in May 2023. The new acquisition is expected to enhance the Republic of Korea's (RoK) "ability to monitor North Korean missiles and defend its airspace," South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a statement in May 2023. The acquisition is being planned for the country's Airborne Early Warning-II (AEW-II) program. South Korea has reportedly been considering the procurement of at least two additional aircraft since 2021.

The current backbone of South Korea's AWACS fleet consists of Boeing 737-based E-7A Peace Eye aircraft, which are equipped with radar systems and communication suites. Seoul acquired four of these aircraft in 2011–12 as part of an effort to expand its airborne surveillance and early warning infrastructure. These aircraft are based on the Boeing 737-700 airframe and feature the Northrop Grumman Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar system, enabling 360-degree coverage for the detection and tracking of airborne and maritime targets over extensive distances.

As part of modernization efforts, several upgrades are being considered for South Korea's AWACS fleet. These include radar enhancement to improve range, sensitivity, and target discrimination. Additionally, advanced data link systems are being integrated to enable seamless communication and information sharing between AWACS aircraft and other friendly platforms, enhancing real-time situational awareness and coordinated responses.

Enhancements to command-and-control interfaces, sensor fusion capabilities, and overall system reliability are also underway, alongside upgrades to communication systems to ensure secure and reliable voice and data connectivity within the military's network-centric warfare architecture. Furthermore, investments may be made to bolster electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, potentially incorporating advanced electronic support measures (ESM) and electronic countermeasures (ECM) systems to detect, identify, and neutralize hostile electronic threats.

Regular airframe inspections, structural enhancements, and avionics system upgrades are essential to maintain operational readiness and extend the service life of South Korea's AWACS fleet.