BAE Methods obtained a contract to ship the AN/ALQ-250 EPAWSS to improve the Republic of Korea Air Power’s F-15K Slam Eagle fighter jets.
BAE System introduced that it has obtained a contract from Boeing to supply the AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Lively Warning Survivability Methods (EPAWSS) for the improve of the Republic of Korea Air Power’s F-15K Slam Eagle fighter jets. The event follows the contract to Boeing earlier this yr and the International Navy Sale (FMS) approval in 2024.
The improve program was launched in 2022 by South Korea’s Protection Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), with the U.S. Air Power Life Cycle Administration Middle working with the U.S. business on behalf of the ROKAF and DAPA. The purpose is to improve the ROKAF’s F-15K Slam Eagle fleet to a configuration just like the F-15EX Eagle II, considerably enhancing its long-range strike and survivability capabilities.
EPAWSS was included among the many methods talked about by the FMS discover. Till now, there was no affirmation that the EPAWSS will certainly be put in on the F-15K, because the methods talked about within the discover don’t essentially replicate the methods that may successfully be a part of a contract.
The brand new Digital Warfare (EW) suite will present South Korean pilots with 360-degree risk detection and elevated variety of countermeasures. Along with enhancing the F-15K’s capabilities in hostile and signal-dense electromagnetic environments, EPAWSS may also enhance the interoperability with the U.S. Air Power.
“We’re working intently with Boeing, the ROKAF and regional business groups to ship essentially the most technically superior EW system for the F-15K plane improve,” mentioned Phillip Casalegno, F-15 worldwide program director at BAE Methods. “Our focus is on offering allies with EW capabilities wanted to assist regional stability and safety.”
The AN/ALQ-250 EPAWSS
The Eagle Passive Lively Warning Survivability System is a cutting-edge self-protection system meant to allow the F-15 to detect, determine, find, deny, degrade, disrupt, and defeat air and surface-to-air threats throughout operations inside extremely contested environments. The system will substitute the earlier self-protection suite put in on the Strike Eagle.
EPAWSS is absolutely built-in with radar warning, geo-location and elevated chaff and flare functionality to detect and defeat floor and airborne threats in signal-dense and extremely contested environments. Due to this, the system allows freedom of maneuver and deeper penetration into battlespaces protected by trendy built-in air protection methods.
“EPAWSS is a leap in know-how, bettering the lethality and fight capabilities of the F-15E and F-15EX in contested, degraded environments in opposition to superior threats,” mentioned Maj Bryant “Jager” Baum, EPAWSS Take a look at Director for the U.S. Air Power Operational Take a look at & Analysis Middle (AFOTEC). “EPAWSS has set the baseline for EW inside the fighter neighborhood.”
BAE Methods, the producer of the system, notes EPAWSS is notably smaller and lighter than earlier EW methods for the F-15, due to its absolutely digital know-how. The corporate additionally says EPAWSS has broad instantaneous bandwidth and a high-speed scan functionality to detect all RF risk courses, together with low chance of intercept and trendy agile threats.
EPAWSS additionally permits to extend the F-15’s chaff and flares capability by 50%, with 4 extra dispensers added within the EPAWSS fairings behind the tail fins (two for every fairing), for a complete of 12 dispenser housing 360 cartridges. This enchancment is vital as in trendy eventualities chaff and flares are sometimes launched preemptively to counter MANPADS (Man Transportable Air Protection System), that means that now the Eagle can have extra countermeasures obtainable for a greater safety.
EPAWSS integrates cognitive digital warfare to higher discriminate the indicators obtained by the system. This functionality was demonstrated in the course of the Northern Edge 2023 massive power train take a look at occasion, which examined EPAWSS’ capacity to quickly reply to beforehand unencountered electromagnetic threats. The exams challenged the system’s capacity to course of in-mission sensor information, create beautiful strategies, and optimize waveforms in actual time.
Within the Director, Operational Take a look at & Analysis report, it’s talked about that EPAWSS replaces three functionally out of date F-15 legacy Tactical Digital Warfare System parts: the AN/ALR-56C Radar Warning Receiver, the AN/ALQ-135 Inner Countermeasures Set, and the AN/ALE-45 Countermeasures Dispenser Set. The system additionally integrates with the F-15 AN/APG-82(V)1 radar and Superior Show Core Processor II mission laptop.
The F-15K Improve
The contract awarded in early 2026 to Boeing, value $2.806 billion, covers “the design and growth of an built-in suite of plane methods to assist modification of the F-15K,” reads the discover revealed by the U.S. Division of Protection. The U.S. Air Power Life Cycle Administration Middle is talked about because the contracting exercise, performing on behalf of the ROKAF and DAPA.
The discover additional mentions that the work will likely be carried out at Boeing’s amenities in St. Louis, Missouri, and is predicted to be full by Dec. 31, 2037. The timeline is broadly according to what was initially deliberate by the DAPA, from 2024 to 2034, taking additionally under consideration the delay within the contract award.
The FMS approved in 2024 talked about an estimated price of $6.2 billion, which would come with each the design and growth coated by the contract awarded to Boeing and the tools and work for the improve of the plane.
As a part of DAPA’s program, the Protection Safety Cooperation Company’s (DSCA) FMS discover says numerous parts have been requested for the improve, together with 96 Superior Show Core Processor II (ADCP II) mission system computer systems, 70 AN/APG-82(v)1 Lively Electronically Scanned Arrays (AESA) radars, seventy 70 AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Lively Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) digital warfare (EW) suites and 70 AN/AAR-57 Frequent Missile Warning Methods (CMWS).
The parts included within the sale point out that the ROKAF intends to improve its whole fleet of F-15Ks to a configuration just like the brand new F-15EX Eagle II at present being delivered to the U.S. Air Power. Apparently, the Korean configuration may also embrace the CMWS, at present not put in on the EX, so the F-15K may also require some structural modifications so as to add the blisters on all sides of the cover rail the place the sensors are put in.
The inclusion of aerial refueling assist and plane ferry assist within the FMS discover instructed that a minimum of the preliminary plane could possibly be ferried to america for the modifications earlier than the remaining are modified in nation. The point out of the work to be performed in St. Louis additional factors to that risk.
