L3Harris Technologies has pitched an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to Taiwan fitted with Israeli technologies.
The Bombardier Global 6500 aircraft features the ELTA Systems EL/W-2085 radar, Aviation Week revealed, citing director of strategic collection and targeting programs at L3Harris Mark Kobussen.
The aircraft will provide a greater altitude of over 41,000 feet (12,497 meters) to the Taiwanese Air Force, enough to keep an eye on the Taiwan Strait from the territory’s eastern side, where it is less vulnerable to Chinese countermeasures, according to Kobussen.
L3Harris has also offered the aircraft to South Korea and NATO as potential fleet replacements.
Taiwan’s Early Warning Requirement
Earlier, Taiwan considered upgrading its six Northrop Grumman E-2K Hawkeye aircraft with E-2Ds. However, cost and US export approval concerns stalled the move.
Taipei commissioned two E-2Ks in 2006 and upgraded its four E-2Ts — bought in 1995 — to the E-2K configuration in two batches in 2011 and 2013.
The E-2D features an APY-9 radar, while the E-2K is equipped with the APS-145.
The L3Harris Offer
L3Harris and ELTA, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, are developing the missionized aircraft featuring ELTA’s next-generation AEW system and battle management command and control suite as well as L3Harris’ interoperable communications suite.
The EL/W-2085 system includes a phased array airborne early warning radar, an identification friend-or-foe system, and electronic support measures.
It is currently installed on Israeli, Italian, and Singaporean Air Force Gulfstream G550-based early warning aircraft.
