Boeing has received from the US Air Force an order worth 2.33 billion euros for two E-7A AEW&C Wedgetail aircraft. In addition to the aircraft, the contract also includes development, training and support for the Air Force’s E-7A fleet.
The mission-proven E-7A Wedgetail provides the armed forces with targeted tracking and battle management capabilities. The E-7 AEW&C platform is currently in service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the Republic of Korea Air Force (as the E-737 Peace Eye) and the Turkish Air Force (as the E-7T Peace Eagle). In addition, the NATO has selected the E-7A as its preferred AEW&C solution (-> NATO procures AWACS successor from Boeing). “Worldwide operators are proving that the E-7 AEW&C is a critical node for air superiority in the modern battlefield,” said Stu Voboril, vice president and E-7 program manager at Boeing. “In our partnership with the U.S. Air Force, we are focused on robust, predictable execution to deliver critical mission-ready capabilities today.” https://militaeraktuell.at/yakovlev-praesentiert-upgrade-der-yak-130/ In addition to the E-7A AEW&C prototype being built for the U.S. Air Force, Boeing is also currently producing three E-7As for the Royal Air Force (RAF), which are undergoing military modification in the United Kingdom. The RAF, RAAF and US Air Force have entered into a trilateral wedgetail cooperation agreement covering the development, evaluation and testing of E-7 aircraft capabilities, interoperability, sustainment, operations, training and safety. Echoing Voboril’s sentiments, Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager of Boeing Defense, Space & Security’s Mobility, Surveillance & Bombers business unit, said, “The E-7A is the linchpin for continuous airspace surveillance, command and control of the battlefield, and integration of data from all domains that provide a decisive advantage against threats. With our open systems architecture approach, capabilities can be added quickly over time as threats evolve.” Based on the Boeing 737-700 NG, the E-7 AEW&C aircraft offers low operating and maintenance costs, high operational readiness and – as mentioned earlier – high interoperability for user nations as NATO’s preferred AE&C solution.
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