Pentagon Clears BAE to Create Upgrade for Korean F-16s
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The estimated cost of phase one is $200 million, says the DSCA. It will see Arlington, Virginia-based BAE Systems Technology Solution & Services create a detailed plan with regards to the fleet’s avionics upgrade. The deal will be conducted under the auspices of the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.
The plan will include details about computers, displays, sensors, weapons, software development, and a range of other elements involved in the upgrade.
In 2012, BAE defeated Lockheed Martin in a competitive bidding process to upgrade the avionics for South Korea’s F-16 fleet. A separate radar competition saw Raytheon's Advanced Combat Radar (RACR) defeat Northrop Grumman’s Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR). As part of its upgrade programme, BAE will integrate RACR into the aircraft.
Phase two of the upgrade will see BAE's upgrade programme implemented across the South Korean F-16 fleet.
This will set the stage for BAE to upgrade two F-16s – one single-seat C-model aircraft and one two-seat D-model – to the new configuration, which includes the RACR equipment. After extensive testing, BAE will then develop upgrade kits that will be shipped to South Korea. It is deciding between Samsung Techwin or Korea Aerospace Industries for the performance of the in-country upgrade work.
The upgrades of operational aircraft could begin in 2017, with four to six aircraft receiving the modifications each month.
Bean said that the budget challenges facing the world’s air forces make upgrading existing aircraft an attractive option, not least because countries lack the funds to replace existing types with advanced aircraft, such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 on anything approaching a one-for-one basis. [via]
