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| Peace Eye |
By Jun Ji-hye
The Air Force's high-altitude surveillance aircraft, nicknamed the "Peace Eye," first detected North Korea's spy drones that crossed the border in March and April, according to sources.
"Peace Eye airborne early warning and control aircraft, which was conducting a patrol and surveillance mission in the West Sea, first spotted the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) sent by Pyongyang," said a source asking not to be named.
The crashed drones were found in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, and on the western border island of Baengnyeong on March 24 and 31, respectively. A third one was discovered in Samcheok, Gangwon Province, on April 6.
The discovery of the surveillance drones programmed by the reclusive state to fly over the South's military installations stirred up severe criticism back then about the military's incompetence in national security.
A source, however, indicated that Seoul already tracked the UAVs from the communist state when they crossed the border.
The Peace Eye is the Air Force's first airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C) obtained in 2011 through a $1.6 billion contract with the U.S. defense giant Boeing.
The powerful platform is equipped with multi-role scanning radar, which includes two side-looking and top-hat arrays, giving 360 degrees of coverage.
Designed to detect objects in the air and at sea, the Peace Eye can carry out intelligence-gathering and surveillance missions for more than nine hours without air-to-air refueling.
Currently with four, the South is considering purchasing two more planes to strengthen its aerial surveillance capabilities against North Korea as well as neighboring countries' possible violations of its expanded air defense identification zone (KADIZ).
Late last month, China and Russia conducted a joint military drill in the area, part of which overlaps with the KADIZ.
To buy additional aircraft, the Joint Chiefs of Staff needs to reflect the Air Forces' request in its budget plan, which is subject to National Assembly approval.
The source added that Japan, which has a dispute with China over the Daioyu/Senkaku islands, is also seeking to upgrade its AEW&Cs to the Peace Eye.
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