Boeing to upgrade South Korea’s F-15K fighters with F-15EX electronics

Boeing and the South Korean Ministry of Defense are finalizing the details of the F-15K modernization program, which includes the adoption of core elements of the next-generation F-15EX “Eagle II.”

The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) F-15K fighter fleet performance upgrade project, approved late last year, has an allocated budget of about $2.6 billion and will have an implementation period from 2024 to 2034.

The three central pillars of the F-15K modernization project will be:

1. Replacement of the AN/APG-63(V)1 mechanical scanning radar with the more modern and powerful AN/APG-82 electronic scanning radar, which provides significant advantages in detection and identification range, resistance to electronic warfare and increased multi-target capability, among other improvements.
2. Installation of the AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) self-defense equipment produced by BAE Systems. This is a fully integrated digital radar warning, geolocation, situational awareness and self-protection solution to detect and defeat current and future surface and airborne threats in highly contested and dense EW environments.
3. The F-15K cockpit modernization will center around the installation of a color Large Area Display (LAD) that will provide the crew with significantly improved situational awareness, both day and night.

According to news site Donga.com, Boeing was only considering replacing some parts of the F-15Ks, such as the radar, but an analysis conducted by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) indicated that it would be more efficient to directly replace the entire front fuselage of the aircraft. The rear of the F-15K aircraft is well maintained, so it is not expected to undergo significant structural changes.

After modernization, the ROKAF’s more than 50 F-15K Slam Eagle fighters will acquire capabilities very similar to those provided by modern F-15EXs, keeping this formidable aircraft at the technological forefront for decades to come.