The Peruvian Government plans to acquire an Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft and new land radars to enhance its border security.
During an extended three-hour-long address to the Peruvian Parliament and nation, President Dina Boluarte announced the future acquisition of an AEW aircraft and a land radar surveillance network. These resources aim to detect illegal planes and ships usually linked to drug trafficking, illegal logging, and mining, as well as smuggling.
«The Armed Forces’ role in this task is critical as they combat illegal economies fueling crime, such as illicit drug trafficking, illegal mining, and logging. In addition, we will acquire a radar plane and a radar system that will locate illegal vessels and planes violating our territory,» she emphasized.
AEW Options for Peru
Considering budget constraints and the type of scenarios the aircraft would be used for, it’s probable that the Peruvian Air Force (FAP) might opt for more «contained» options than a large and expensive E-7 Wedgetail.
The Israeli Offer
Taking into account the smooth relations between the Peruvian Armed Forces and Israeli defense companies, it’s highly possible that Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is already offering its AEW&C solutions to the FAP.
The most potent platform that IAI-Elta can provide is the ELW-2085 Conformal Airborne Early Warning & Control (CAEW), a third-generation airborne early warning and control system. The CAEW is installed on a high-performance, long-range modified Gulfstream G-550 aircraft. However, if the cost of acquiring this system is too high for the Peruvian Ministry of Defense’s budget, Israel can offer more budget-friendly solutions.
The Preator P600 AEW is IAI-Elta and Embraer’s proposal for a «pocket» airborne early warning system. Image: IAI-Elta.
During the International Technology Salon for Defense and Disaster Prevention (SITDEF) 2023 held from May 18 to 21 in Peru, IAI promoted the P600 AEW&C, a «pocket» airborne early warning system integrated into a Praetor 600 aircraft from the Brazilian company Embraer.
With the P600 AEW, IAI-Elta and Embraer introduced to the market the first AEW system based on a super-midsize category aircraft, inaugurating a new niche.
The Swedish Alternative
The missions that President Dina Boluarte described for the future Peruvian AEW aircraft are practically the same ones that gave origin to the SIVAM program in Brazil and SIVA in Mexico. In both cases, the selected AEW&C platform is the Embraer E-99, which consists of the integration of an Erieye early warning radar from the Swedish company SAAB into an Embraer EMB-145 aircraft.
Recently modernized Embraer E-99M, operative in the Brazilian Air Force. Photo: Embraer.
While the EMB-145 is no longer in production, second-hand units can be obtained for conversion to E-99.
Another relatively low-budget option would be to install the Erieye radar (and associated equipment) on one of the two Fokker 60s used by the Peruvian Navy for transport missions. This option has already been tested on the F-50 KingBird Mk2/Mk2E, which never found customers.
For larger budgets, Sweden can offer its GlobalEye, the most modern, powerful, and capable early warning and control aircraft, mounted on a high-performance executive jet from the Canadian Bombardier’s Global family.
Why not India?
In a similar fashion to the SAAB/Embraer E-99, India developed its own national AEW&C called NETRA.
The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) developed, built, and mounted its own airborne early warning radar system. It mainly consists of a AESA radar made of two flat antennas assembled «back-to-back» and mounted on top of an Embraer ERJ 145 fuselage, providing a radar coverage of 240°. India operates three of this type of aircraft and is developing the next-generation national AEW&C system, the Netra Mk2, of which the Indian Air Force plans to acquire six units.
The Indian defense industry is looking to expand its client portfolio and establish itself as a reliable provider of Defense products, with one of its expansion strategies being penetration into the South American market (such as the offers of fighter jets and helicopters made to Argentina). Peru’s need for a platform like Netra could be the opportunity they are looking for.
