SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Co. said Thursday it has partnered with LIG Nex1 Co....
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Korean Air Co. said Thursday it has partnered with LIG Nex1 Co. to compete for a 1.78 trillion-won (US$1.27 billion) government project to develop an electronic warfare aircraft for the Air Force.
The two companies plan to submit their final proposal for the project in early September. If chosen as the main contractors, Korean Air will handle the integration and modification of the aircraft, while LIG Nex1 will develop and install the electronic warfare systems.
The project will involve converting a mid-sized commercial jet into a special mission aircraft. Once completed, the aircraft will be able to intercept and analyze enemy radar and communications signals, and jam them during wartime to disable air defenses and disrupt command networks.
Electronic warfare aircraft are considered essential in modern battlefields because they can paralyze enemy radars, communications and other electronic equipment. Instead of building a new plane, the Air Force decided to modify an existing commercial aircraft, which is faster and more efficient.
LIG Nex1 has already developed advanced electronic warfare systems for the KF-21 fighter jet, naval ships, submarines and reconnaissance aircraft. Korean Air has long experience in heavy aircraft maintenance, upgrades of military planes and the development of drones.
"With more than 50 years of accumulated technology and infrastructure, Korean Air will play a leading role in strengthening our military's advanced capabilities and help raise the global standing of Korea's defense industry," a Korean Air official said.
The Hanwha KAI Consortium is taking on this challenge.
Both KAI and Korean Air are modifying the same aircraft, but there are some differences in the methods and details of the modifications. The biggest difference is the placement of the conformal antenna, which is the core component of electronic warfare aircraft. Both companies are installing two large conformal antennas on the sides of the fuselage, but KAI is considering adding another conformal antenna to the underside of the fuselage.
Two consortiums will submit proposals in September, and the consortium that will carry out the project will be selected in October. After the contract is signed, the project will begin.
