EPAWSS to protect Republic of Korea F-15K Slam Eagles

BAE Systems has been awarded a contract by Boeing to manufacture and deliver high-performance AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability Systems (EPAWSS) designated for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) F-15K Slam Eagle fighter fleet. The advanced electronic warfare (EW) systems are engineered to supply situational awareness and self-defense capabilities, allowing ROKAF F-15K pilots to operate within contested combat zones.

Electronic Warfare and Threat Countermeasures
The all-digital EPAWSS architecture delivers 360-degree threat detection, signal identification, and electronic countermeasure options. This framework permits flight crews to execute tactical missions within hostile, signal-dense electromagnetic environments. The system's digital processing features complement the native airspeed, operational range, and payload capacity of the F-15 airframe to support combat airpower and localized air superiority missions.

Phillip Casalegno, F-15 International Program Director at BAE Systems, stated that the company is collaborating with Boeing, the ROKAF, and regional industrial teams to deliver the technically advanced EW platform for the F-15K aircraft upgrade program. Casalegno noted that the program focuses on supplying allied forces with the electronic warfare capabilities necessary to maintain regional stability and security.

Fleet Modification and Interoperability
The integration of the EPAWSS platform forms a central component of the broader F-15K aircraft upgrade initiative. Managed as a foreign military sales program in coordination with the Republic of Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the modernization project is structured to modify the country’s existing 59-aircraft F-15K fleet. The hardware updates are intended to enhance the nation's capacity to counter contemporary and future electronic threats while ensuring operational system interoperability with United States military forces.

The EPAWSS system has transitioned into full-rate production. Beyond the ROKAF modification program, the electronic warfare suites are being produced as standard equipment for all new U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II aircraft, alongside ongoing retrofits for the existing F-15E Eagle fleet. The system has been deployed across operational environments and undergoes continuous refinement via targeted software and firmware upgrades.

Additional Context
This section details technical specifications not included in the original news release.

The AN/ALQ-250 EPAWSS replaces legacy, analog-based electronic warfare suites that relied on separate radar warning receivers (RWR) and discrete jammer modules. Modern electronic combat environments feature complex, agile radar threats that utilize pulse-Doppler variations and rapid frequency-hopping techniques to bypass traditional detectors. To counter these agile emissions, the all-digital system uses a high-speed digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) architecture coupled with wideband digital receivers.

The hardware samples the incoming radio frequency spectrum directly, digitizing complex wave parameters instantaneously to perform automated signal sorting and de-interleaving. This advanced signal processing isolates authentic tracking radars from dense ambient background noise, allowing the system to identify multiple threats simultaneously and deploy precise, active electronic countermeasures—such as deceptive range-gate pull-off or velocity-gate pull-off techniques—to break the tracking locks of enemy surface-to-air and air-to-air missile systems.

Edited by Romila DSilva, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.