KAL partners with L3Harris to boost S. Korean Air Force surveillance

Korean Air and U.S. defense contractor L3Harris take a commemorative photo at the ‘L3 Industry Day’ event in Seoul on the 13th. [Courtesy of Korean Air Lines Co.]

Korean Air (KAL) announced on Wednesday that it held an “L3 Industry Day” event on Tuesday at the Air Force Hotel in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, in collaboration with U.S. defense contractor L3Harris Technologies. The event focused on discussing ways to enhance the South Korean Air Force’s air surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

The event was attended by key figures such as Park Jung-woo, SVP and head of Aerospace Business Division at Korean Air, and Jason W. Lambert, president of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance at L3Harris, along with representatives from over 30 domestic and international defense companies, including Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), ELTA Systems, LIG Nex1, Yeonhab Precision, and Hanul System.

The primary focus of the discussions was the potential acquisition of additional airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, also known as “flying radar and command center.” These aircraft are equipped with high-performance radar systems capable of detecting and analyzing key targets across the country and providing real-time command and control of military operations from the air.

The South Korean Air Force currently operates four Boeing E-737 “Peace Eye” AEW&C aircraft and is planning a second phase of the acquisition project, aiming to purchase additional units by 2031 at a cost of 2.9 trillion won($2.13 billion).

L3Harris has proposed a model based on Bombardier’s latest “Global 6500” aircraft, equipped with IAI’s advanced radar systems, for this project.

Under the business cooperation agreement signed in 2022, Korean Air will participate in the production, including modifications, parts manufacturing, and personnel training for the operation of future AEW&C aircraft.