Third High-Altitude Spy Plane Delivered for Deployment

The Air Force has taken delivery of a third advanced surveillance plane from U.S. aircraft giant Boeing on Thursday, officials said, to strengthen South Korea's capacity to carry out aerial surveillance of North Korea.


 The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a statement the Air Force will soon deploy its third E-737 Airborne Early Warning and Control plane, dubbed "Peace Eye" in South Korea.

In 2006, South Korea reached a US$1.6 billion deal with Boeing to buy four modified versions of the high-altitude surveillance aircraft. The first two planes were delivered to the Air Force last year.


The DAPA said that under Boeing's supervision, Korea Aerospace Industries, a local aerospace company, manufactured the radar system and other electronic parts for the third E-737.

The E-737, equipped with a sophisticated radar system called a Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array, can detect and monitor up to 1,000 airborne or surface targets simultaneously.