U.S. WITHOLDS LICENSES OF ISRAELI AEW TO SEOUL

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The Bush administration has withheld approval for theexport to South Korea of components required for an Israeli-origin airborneearly-warning and alert system. Officials said the State Department has refused to approve licenserequests for a range of components for the communications and radar elements of anIsraeli-U.S. AEW system offered to the South Korean Air Force. Theconsortium of Gulfstream Aircraft, Israel Aircraft Industries and L-3Communications was regarded as the favorite to win Seoul's E-X program.