US Tech Transfer Snags To Delay Korean AWACS Program
(click to view larger)
In a December 11, 2005 article, DID noted that South Korea was looking to award its E-X airborne early warning aircraft contract and get on with the program. Their $1.1 billion choice was the G550 platform offered by an American-Israeli consortium of General Dynamics Gulfstream, L-3 Communications, and Israel Aircraft Industries.
Unfortunately, DID also noted that snags with tech transfer of basic equipment like Link 16 avionics risked holding up the program. While the $1.3 billion deal with Eurocopter that DID also mentioned in that article went through smoothly yesterday, The Chosun Ibo reports that the E-X program does indeed face a delay over US technology transfers until some time in 2006. Read DID’s earlier report for the full briefing re: the two contending E-X bids, and the list of “banned” items.
