Boeing's USAF E-7 development
On 28 February 2023, as expected, Boeing announced that it will begin development of two new USAF prototypes of the E-7 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft through a, not further defined, USD 1,2 billion contract.
On 27 April 2022, Scramble Magazine wrote about the E-3 AWACS replacement by the E-7 Wedgetail and that a contract award was planned for Fiscal Year 2023.
Converted from the Next-Generation Boeing 737-700, the E-7 capitalises on an existing commercial derivative aircraft design, certification and modification processes. As the Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) becomes obsolete quickly, this allows E-7s to be fielded to meet the urgently USAF needs. The E-7 will use a well-established supply chain which significantly reduces maintenance and logistics costs and increases the USAF mission readiness from the start.
The E-7 tracks multiple airborne and maritime threats simultaneously with 360-degree coverage via the Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) sensor. MESA provides commanders in the air, on the ground and sea, with critical situational awareness to detect and identify adversarial targets at long range and dynamically adjusts to emerging tactical situations.
Also, the Boeing 737 derative will provide a fully integrated, combat-proven, flexible Command and Control (C2C) node that delivers multi-domain awareness in the most challenging operational environments. The E-7’s open systems architecture and agile software design enable the aircraft's capabilities to evolve and remain ahead of future threats.
Other E-7 operators and future operators include the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF), Turkish Air Force (THK) and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF).
Image via Boeing