Under a foreign military sale authorised by the State Department on Monday, South Korea is authorised to purchase four Boeing-built E-7 airborne early warning and control aircraft, commonly known as the Wedgetail, for about $5 billion.
Along with GPS navigation equipment, transponders, communication systems, and countermeasures and missile warning systems to assist defend the aircraft, the acquisition would also include 10 CFM56 jet engines, eight of which would be placed on the Wedgetails and two additional spares.
Operators may search battlefields and monitor the activities of friends, enemies, and civilians thanks to the E-7’s airborne battle management, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. In order to replace its outdated fleet of E-3 Sentry AWACS, the U.S. Air Force plans to purchase up to 26 Wedgetails, which are currently flown by the Australian, Turkish and Republic of Korea Air Force’s.
According to the State, selling the Wedgetails to South Korea will enhance the security of the main ally and further American foreign policy and national security objectives. The Wedgetails would enhance South Korea’s airborne early warning and control capabilities, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, and the way the South Korean air force communicates with the U.S. military.
