Korean Air will purchase four Bombardier Global 6500 business jets, of which two will be modified with L3Harris’ help and the other two will be modified in South Korea.
L3Harris announced on Oct. 20, 2025, it has formally received the contract from South Korea for its next AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft. The consortium of L3Harris and Korean Air previously won the open competition by the Defense Acquisitions and Program Administration (DAPA) on Sep. 30.
The program, valued at $2.6 billion, will involve modifying four Bombardier Global 6500 business jets with the conformal Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) EL/W-2085 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, and other requisite systems to be delivered to the RoKAF (Republic of Korea Air Force) by 2032. Korean Air would purchase the four aircraft and “co-develop aircraft No. 1 and No. 2, and handle domestic modifications for No. 3 and No. 4,” said ChosunBiz.
There was however no announcement by the DAPA website in this regard, announcing the closure of the open tender and the award of the contract. South Korea’s AEW&C II tender, which was decided by the 171st Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee late in September, saw L3Harris’ proposal beat out the other contender, the Saab GlobalEye AEW&C system.
📢 Landmark contract: We’ve been chosen to deliver modified @Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft with airborne early warning and control systems to the Republic of Korea Air Force. These advanced aircraft promise mission readiness!✈️ Read more: https://t.co/QDGD71EFA4#SeoulADEX2025 pic.twitter.com/WXRRYsRdyi
— L3Harris (@L3HarrisTech) October 19, 2025
A November 2024 direct FMS (Foreign Military Sales) approval from the U.S. of four more E-7s is now also effectively cancelled. The ROKAF already operates four E-7A Wedgetails, locally designated as the E-737, that were inducted by 2012 under the Peace Eye project. Those aircraft had however been experiencing low mission availability rates.
Korean reports
ChosunBiz also explained that Korean Air is expected to purchase two more Global 6500 aircraft for the “electronic and electrical project,” referring to an airborne electronic warfare and jamming aircraft program. This is South Korea’s Block-I Electronic Warfare System Development Project, for which the DAPA is examining concept proposals by two consortiums of Korean companies, including KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries)-Hanwha Systems, and Korean Air-LIG Nex1.
For this, L3Harris had also displayed scale model concepts of Global 6500-based conformal array system designated “Crow”, along with the CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) and ISTAR platforms called “Phoenix” and “Griffon,” respectively, at South Korea’s Aerospace Conference in 2024.
L3Harris showcased a model of the Global 6500 “Phoenix” AEW&C at the #TADTE2025. The aircraft, based on the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet, is equipped with the latest-generation EL/W-2085 CAEW (L&S) dual-band AESA radar from Israeli company ELTA Systems, using GaN… https://t.co/Jfms6K3XzA pic.twitter.com/0rnRYuRI8c
— 笑脸男人 (@lfx160219) September 20, 2025
A scale model of the L3Harris CAEW system was also displayed at the TADTE 2025 in Taiwan, for Taipei’s efforts to replace its older E-2K AEW&C aircraft. South Korean reports describe the AEW&C aircraft as “flying radar and command posts,” that “detect and analyze key targets across the country and conduct real-time command and control of military operations from the air.”
“The high-altitude, long-range business jet modified for the airborne control mission uses AI-based, state-of-the-art radar technology to support air battle management,” ChosunBiz said.
These aircraft will fly faster and operate longer to improve the nation’s mission readiness. They will also cruise at higher altitudes for improved safety and provide combat-proven radar coverage to more quickly detect and track threats. The communications suite will provide interoperability with the United States, NATO and coalition partners, creating a networked battlespace with fifth-generation aircraft and beyond.
ChosunBiz’s English-language version quoted a Korean Air official, who said: “Through this Airborne Control Aircraft project, we will secure technology for modifying, integrating, and maintaining the latest special-mission aircraft. As a leading domestic aerospace company, we will do our best to establish an industrial foundation for large-scale special-mission aircraft to strengthen national defense capabilities.”
‘Best, proven aircraft and technology for South Korea’
L3Harris’ chair and CEO Christopher Kubasik said in the press release that the company is “ready to deliver an advanced aircraft fleet that will strengthen mission effectiveness for a key American ally in the Indo-Pacific region.” He further added “We look forward to collaborating with the Republic of Korea to develop, test, integrate and sustain this vital capability for years to come.”
Bombardier’s President and CEO Éric Martel touched upon the Global 6500’s “reliability and performance to support the most demanding missions” which ensures the aircraft is “the go-to choice for governments seeking to modernize their capabilities […] amid rising geopolitical tensions.”
IAI’s president and CEO Boaz Levy identified “world-class, field-proven” AEW and special mission aircraft technologies like “sensor miniaturization and advanced AESA radar technology, coupled with advanced detection and classification capabilities that enable success even in the most challenging missions.” A fact-sheet by L3Harris says the Israeli system is a dual-band system with GaN (Gallium Nitride) technology.
ROKAF E-737 Peace Eye (64-700) PUS/RKPK April 2023 pic.twitter.com/7WnwANCrhV
— Andrei (@Andrei32989622) May 3, 2023
Jin Kyu Lim, Head of Aerospace Division, Korean Air said: “Throughout this collaboration, Korean Air will strengthen its capabilities in modification, integration and maintenance for the latest special mission aircraft.” Korean Air will also lead “operating and maintaining” the four programs in the future, “including meeting any future manufacturing requirements.”
