Según Defensenews.com, Boeing ha entregado a Corea del Sur, el primero de cuatro B-737 AEW&C de alerta y control para modificaciones antes de la entrega formal.
La Fuerza Aérea de Corea del Sur (ROK Air Force), planea crear un ala de reconocimiento táctico, integrada por estos aviones, en 2012, bajo un contrato de 1,6 billones de dólares firmado en Noviembre de 2006. El avión voló desde la factoría de Boeing en Seattle, hasta la planta de KAI en Sacheon, el 4 de Febrero. KAI equipará a los B737 con el Radar Northrop Grumman L-band Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA), dentro de las contraprestaciones recibidas por el contrato. Una ceremonia de recibimiento se celebrará en Sacheon el 9 de Febrero. El B737 AEW&C es parte del esfuerzo realizado por Corea del Sur por conseguir independencia en el campo de vigilancia y reconocimiento, labor que ahora desempeña Estados Unidos desde su base de Okinawa, en Japón. Los B737 AEW, detectarán intrusos y posibles amenazas en el espacio aéreo, y trasladarán la información a la Fuerza Aéra para su intecptación. El B737 AEW&C dispone de seis consolas de misión, puede volar a una altura de hast 41.000 pies, a una velocidad máxima de 340 nudos.
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According Defensenews.com, Boeing has delivered the first of four planned 737 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to South Korea for modifications ahead of a final handover to the Republic of Korea.
The ROK Air Force plans to create a tactical reconnaissance wing led by the 737 AEW&C aircraft by 2012, under a $1.6 billion contract signed in November 2006, Boeing IDS is to deliver four 737 AEW&C "Peace Eye" aircraft to South Korea by 2012.
The first 737 plane flew from a Boeing facility in Seattle to a Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) facility in Sacheon, on Feb. 4. KAI will equip the 737 airplane with Northrop Grumman's L-band Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar. The modification work is part of offset deals from the AEW&C contract.
A ceremony to mark the beginning of the modification work here is to be held at the Sacheon facility Feb. 9. The 737 AEW&C aircraft is a core part in South Korea's pursuit of achieving independent intelligent gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance capability to prepare for the transition of wartime operational control from the U.S. to South Korea in 2012, as the nation heavily relies on U.S. reconnaissance aircraft based in Okinawa, Japan. In case of an emergency, the Peace Eye aircraft will orchestrate air assets flown by ROK airmen by detecting and identifying airborne objects, determining their coordinates and flight path data, and transferring the information to commanders. The planes will play the role of an aerial command-and-control center in guiding fighter-interceptors and tactical air force aircraft to combat areas to attack ground targets at low altitudes.
The 737 AEW&C has six common console stations for the mission crew and boasts of its commonality with commercial airline fleets for flexibility and support. The aircraft can fly at a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet and top speed of 340 knots.
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