E-7A Airborne Early Warning aircraft to be provided to U.S. Air Force by Boeing
NewsAugust 12, 2024
TUKWILA, Wash. Boeing won a $2.56 billion contract from the U.S. Air Force to deliver two E-7A Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Wedgetail aircraft, the company announced in a statement.
The contract includes lifecycle development, training, and support for the Air Force's E-7A fleet.
The E-7A Wedgetail is built on the Boeing 737-700 NG airframe and provides tracking and battle management command-and-control capabilities, offering a "first to detect, first to engage" advantage, the statement reads. This aircraft is currently in service with the Royal Australian Air Force, Republic of Korea Air Force, and Turkish Air Force under different designations, the company states.
The E-7A's design focuses on interoperability with global users and features an open systems architecture for the insertion of new capabilities as threats evolve, Boeing says. In addition to the aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, Boeing is producing three E-7As for the Royal Air Force, with modifications taking place in the United Kingdom. NATO has also selected the E-7A as its preferred AEW&C solution.