AIR
INTERNATIONAL NOV 2023 BOEING E-7A WEDGETAIL AEW&C USAF RAAF RAF RoKAF NATO
THK
KEY PUBLISHING SOFTBOUND BOOK in ENGLISH
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Additional Information from Internet Encyclopedia
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail is a twin-engine airborne early
warning and control aircraft based on the Boeing 737 Next Generation design. It
has a fixed, active electronically scanned array radar antenna instead of a
rotating one as with the 707-based Boeing E-3 Sentry. The E-7 was designed for
the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) under "Project Wedgetail" and
designated E-7A Wedgetail.
The 737 AEW&C has also been selected by the Turkish
Air Force (under "Project Peace Eagle", Turkish: Barış Kartalı,
designated E-7T, the Republic of Korea Air Force ("Project Peace Eye�) and
the United Kingdom (designated Wedgetail AEW1). In April 2022, the United
States Air Force announced that the E-7 will be replacing the E-3 beginning in
2027.
Design and Development
The Australian Department of Defence evaluated industry
proposals for airborne surveillance and early warning systems as early as 1986.
Further studies led to the approval of the first phase of Project AIR 5077 in
1994. In 1996, Australia issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the aircraft
for the RAAF under Project Wedgetail, which refers to the indigenous eagle. In
1999, Australia awarded Boeing Integrated Defense Systems a contract to supply
four AEW&C aircraft with options for three additional aircraft.
The 737 AEW&C is roughly similar to the 737-700ER. It
uses the Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Multi-role Electronically Scanned
Array (MESA) radar. The electronically scanned AEW and surveillance radar is
located on a dorsal fin on top of the fuselage, dubbed the "top hat",
and is designed for minimal aerodynamic effect. The radar is capable of
simultaneous air and sea search, fighter control and area search, with a
maximum range of over 600 km (look-up mode). The MESA radar is fixed unlike the
hydraulically-rotated AN/APY-1/2 of the E-3 Sentry, which the 737 AEW&C is
set to replace. Despite this, the radar is still able to offer 360-degree
azimuth scan using two broadside (side-emitting) electronic manifold arrays,
each covers two 120� sectors from starboard and port, and an end-fire array
housed within the top hat that covers a 60� front and aft of the aircraft.
In addition, the radar antenna array is also doubled as
an ELINT array, with a maximum range of over 850 km at 9,000 metres (30,000 ft)
altitude. Radar signal processing equipment and central computer are installed
directly below the antenna array.
Other modifications include ventral fins to
counterbalance the radar and countermeasures mounted on the nose, wingtips and
tail. In-flight refueling is via a receptacle on top of the forward fuselage.
The cabin features eight operator consoles with sufficient space for four more;
the Australian fleet will operate ten consoles with space for two more (four on
starboard side and six on the port side).
Operational history
Australia
Australia ordered four AEW&C aircraft with options
for three additional aircraft, two of which have since been taken up. The first
two Wedgetails were assembled, modified and tested in Seattle, Washington,
while the remainder were modified by Boeing Australia, with deliveries once set
to begin in 2006,. Boeing and Northrop teamed with Boeing Australia, and BAE
Systems Australia. Boeing Australia provides training, maintenance and support,
BAE provides EWSP systems, Electronic Support Measures (ESM) systems and ground
support systems.
On 29 June 2006, the Australian Minister for Defence,
Brendan Nelson, stated that the Wedgetail was delayed despite Boeing's prior
assurance that work was on schedule. Boeing announced an 18-month delay due to
problems integrating radar and sensor systems, and did not expect delivery
until early 2009. Additionally, Boeing incurred $770 million (~$1.12 billion in
2023) in charges over the delay in 2006. On 20 June 2008, Boeing announced a
further delay due to integration issues with the radar and Electronic Support
Measure (ESM) systems.
On 26 November 2009, Boeing delivered the first two 737
AEW&Cs to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). These aircraft remained
Boeing owned and operated prior to the RAAF's formal acceptance on 5 May 2010.
The RAAF accepted its sixth and last 737 AEW&C on 5 June 2012. All RAAF
Wedgetails are operated by No. 2 Squadron RAAF and based at RAAF Base
Williamtown with a permanent detachment at RAAF Base Tindal.[citation needed]
In November 2012, the Wedgetail achieved Initial Operational Capability.
On 1 April 2014, the first operational sortie occurred in
the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, helping control maritime patrol
aircraft off Western Australia's coast. On 1 October 2014, a Wedgetail
conducted the first Australian sortie over Iraq supporting coalition forces
conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
On 26 May 2015, the Wedgetail fleet achieved final operational capability
(FOC).
In November 2015, the Wedgetail performed the longest
Australian command and control mission in a war zone during a 17-hour, 6-minute
combat mission, requiring two air-to-air refuelings to stay aloft. Australian
Wedgetail crews routinely perform 13-hour missions. In early April 2016,
Rotation 5 of aircrew and maintenance personnel that had been operating the
RAAF Wedgetail in the Middle East achieved a record 100 percent mission success
rate in Coalition operations against ISIS. The E-7A successfully conducted all
36 missions, each lasting upwards of 12 hours, amounting to nearly 500 hours of
flying for the one aircraft. The final Wedgetail rotation to the Middle East
ended in early 2019.
An Australian Wedgetail was deployed to Europe in October
2023 to contribute to international efforts to protect the flow of supplies to
Ukraine following the Russian invasion of the country. This deployment is
scheduled to last for six months.
The Australian Government's 2024 Integrated Investment
Program included a commitment to allocate $A5 billion to $A7 billion to replace
the Wedgetail fleet in the period between the 2024-25 and 2033-34 financial
years.
Turkey
Four Boeing 737 AEW&C Peace Eagle aircraft along with
ground support systems were ordered by the Turkish Air Force, with an option
for two more. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is the Peace Eagle's primary
subcontractor, performing parts production, testing, aircraft assembly and
conversion. Another Turkish subcontractor, HAVELSAN, is responsible for ground
support elements, system analysis and software support. HAVELSAN is also the
only foreign company licensed by the U.S. Government to receive critical source
codes. Peace Eagle 1 was modified and tested by Boeing in the US, while Peace
Eagle 2, 3 and 4 were modified and tested at TAI's facilities in Ankara,
Turkey, in partnership with Boeing and several Turkish companies. In 2006, the
four Peace Eagles were scheduled to be delivered in 2008.
In September 2007, Boeing completed the first Peace Eagle
test flight. On 4 June 2008, it was announced that Peace Eagle 2, the second
737 AEW&C, had completed modifications; flight and mission system checks
were completed in the third quarter of 2008. In 2013, Israel delivered EW
equipment for the Peace Eagle under US pressure. On 21 February 2014, the first
Peace Eagle, named Kuzey (meaning North), was formally accepted by the Turkish
Air Force. The remaining three aircraft are named G�ney (South), Doğu (East)
and Batı (West). The fourth and final Peace Eagle was delivered in December
2015.
In IDEF 2023 was signed project contract for the
modernization of the E-7 Peace Eagle aircraft in the inventory of Turkish Air
Force to meet the current operational needs of Air Force and to eliminate the
obsolescence in the software. Within scope of modernization the aircraft will
be equipped with IFF Mode 5 Responder, Karetta CRPA Antenna, Mission Computer
Hardware developed by Aselsan.
South Korea
On 7 November 2006, Boeing won a $1.6 billion contract
with South Korea to deliver four aircraft by 2012. Boeing beat the other
entrant, IAI Elta's Gulfstream G550-based aircraft, which was eliminated from
the competition in August 2006. The first Peace Eye aircraft was delivered to
Gimhae Air Base, Busan for acceptance testing on 1 August 2011 with the
remaining three aircraft delivered every six months until 2012. The second
aircraft was modified into an AEW&C configuration by Korea Aerospace
Industries (KAI), then delivered to Gimhae Air Base on 13 December 2011. After
receiving AEW&C modifications by KAI, the third aircraft was delivered on
17 May 2012 to Gimhae Air Base. The fourth aircraft was delivered on 24 October
2012.
South Korea initiated a competitive program in 2023 to
acquire four additional AEW&C aircraft. The Boeing E-7, Saab Global Eye,
and a L3Harris Gulfstream-based variant are competing for the contract. Final
proposals are due by 19 April 2024.
United Kingdom
In October 2018, the British Government announced that it
was in talks with Boeing about the potential for the E-7 Wedgetail to replace
its E-3D fleet. Talks about using the aircraft were also taking place with
Australia. The apparent decision to proceed with procurement without a
competition received some criticism, with the Ministry of Defence accused of
displaying favouritism towards Boeing, while Saab voiced its opposition to the
"non-competitive" deal as it could offer the Erieye system mounted on
Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft. On 22 March 2019, it was announced by Defence
Secretary Gavin Williamson that the UK had signed a $1.98 billion (~$2.33
billion in 2023) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetails. The aircraft is to be
designated as the "Wedgetail AEW1".
Airframe modification was expected to be performed by
Marshall Aerospace, but it withdrew in May 2020, thus Boeing selected STS
Aviation Group's UK branch on 20 May 2020. Two of the five aircraft are to be
converted commercial airliners and the rest are to be new. Each conversion
takes about 24 months, with work on the first aircraft starting in 2021 and the
last to be completed in 2026. As of June 2020, the first Wedgetail delivery had
been expected in 2023. In December 2020, Air Forces Monthly reported that the
UK was considering reducing its Wedgetail purchase from five to three aircraft
and stated that such a move "could often mean just one aircraft would be
available for operational tasking." The 2021 Integrated Defence Review
confirmed the reduced order of three aircraft. In late 2022, it was reported
that initial operating capability for the aircraft had slipped to 2024. In
February 2023, Air Chief Marshal Michael Wigston stated that the order of three
aircraft may gradually rise to five.
United States
In February 2021 General Kenneth S. Wilsbach, the
Commander of the United States Pacific Air Forces, proposed that the USAF
rapidly acquire E-7s to replace the E-3s deployed to the Indo-Pacific region.
In April 2021, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported that Gen. Jeffrey
Harrigian, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, also
voiced support for a near-term E-7 acquisition. In October 2021, the USAF
published a "Notice of Contract Action" stating its intent to award
Boeing a sole-source contract to study the E-7 to determine if it can meet USAF
configuration standards and mandates.
On 26 April 2022, the U.S. Air Force announced that the
E-7 would replace the E-3 as it "is the only platform capable of meeting
the requirements for the Defense Department's tactical battle management,
command and control and moving target indication capabilities within the
timeframe needed..." An initial $1.2 billion contract was awarded in 2023
to develop two new US-specific variants of the E-7. A final production decision
for a total fleet of 26 aircraft is planned for 2025 with the first USAF E-7
entering service in 2027.
NATO
In 2022, NATO issued a "Request for
Information" (RFI) for a capability to replace its 14 E-3A AWACS aircraft
by 2035, with an "initial operational capability" by 2031. Boeing
stated that it had responded to the request, offering an E-7-based solution.
Saab and Northrop Grumman also responded to the RFI, offering, the GlobalEye
and Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, respectively. On 15 November 2023,
NATO stated that they are to procure six E-7s to replace their E-3s to begin
operations from 2031. The E-7 is expected to be based at Geilenkirchen and
could operate from several forward locations across Europe.
Potential customers
Italy
In 2004, the Italian Air Force was considering the
purchase of a total of 14 Wedgetail and P-8 MMA aircraft, with aircraft support
to be provided by Alitalia. However, in 2008, owing to budget constraints,
Italy chose not to proceed with either aircraft and chose a smaller, less
expensive, interim solution in place of the P-8, the ATR 72MP, and then in 2012
acquired two Gulfstream G550 CAEW as part of a counter-deal to Israel's $1
billion (~$1.31 billion in 2023) order for 30 Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced
jet trainers, followed by an additional order of two more aircraft in 2022.
United Arab Emirates
The Wedgetail was a competitor for the United Arab
Emirates' AEW&C program in 2007.[80][81] In 2015, UAE selected the Saab
GlobalEye over the Wedgetail and the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.
Qatar
In 2014, Qatar stated it planned to purchase three 737
AEW&C aircraft. In 2018, Qatar decided not to proceed with the planned
purchase.
Saudi Arabia
As of December 2023, Saudi Arabia is in the middle of a
two-phase mid-life upgrade to its existing fleet of E-3 Sentry aircraft.
However, in August 2022, the U.S. Air Force revealed that Saudi Arabia has
expressed interest in the E-7.
Canada
In April 2024, Canada announced it would be investing
CA$5 billion on AEW&C capabilities. The GlobalEye may be a competitor to
the E-7.
Operators
Current operators
Australia
Royal Australian Air Force � six aircraft in use,
designated "E-7A Wedgetail"[90]
No. 2 Squadron
South Korea
Republic of Korea Air Force � four aircraft in use,
designated "Peace Eye"; considering ordering two to three more
51st Air Control Group
271th Airborne Air Control Squadron
Turkey
Turkish Air Force � four aircraft in use; designated
"E-7T Peace Eagle"
Airborne Warning Control Group Command
Future operators
United Kingdom
Royal Air Force � three aircraft on order, with
potentially another two in future for a total of five; designated
"Wedgetail AEW1"
No. 8 Squadron
United States
United States Air Force � two aircraft on contract; a
fleet of 26 planned
NATO
NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force � six
aircraft on order
