Selected to meet the initial Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (iAFSC) requirement, the Boeing E-7 will replace NATO's aging E-3 Sentry fleet by 2035.
According to data from Aviation Week’s Fleet Discovery Military tool, NATO’s ISR fleet only counts 19 aircraft, but these modest numbers belie the strength of the alliance’s combined ISR capability.
Canada plans to spend more than C$5 billion ($3.65 billion) on the acquisition of airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft, defense officials have confirmed.
Large spans of water and a lack of strategic depth in some countries make airborne early warning assets a valuable commodity for air forces in the region.
The decision to select the E-7 has been made by a consortium of nations including Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania and the U.S.
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail buy is described as “extremely poor value for money,” with the UK paying £1.89 billion for three, rather than £2.15 billion for five.
Fifteen years after a B-52 standoff jammers idea was shelved, the venerable bomber will audition for a role as a primary airborne electronic attack platform.
Australia, the UK and the U.S. in July signed a cooperation agreement to work together on future upgrades to the E-7A, with a focus on interoperability.