Boeing has landed an A$569 million ($360 million) contract for upgrade and maintenance work on the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) fleet of E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.
“This contract with Boeing Defence Australia, announced today, will deliver enhancements to the aircraft and ground systems and ensures this critical capability is upgraded and maintained over the next decade,” says the Department of Defence (DoD).
“The E-7A Wedgetail is a cornerstone of Australia’s integrated air and missile defence capability, providing crucial situational awareness and airborne command and control.”
The RAAF’s E-7A capability has taken on a broader importance in recent years owing to plans by the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) and US Air Force (USAF) to obtain the AEW&C type as a replacement for the obsolescent Boeing E-3 Sentry.
Crew from both the RAF and USAF have been embedded with the RAAF’s No 2 Sqn to learn about operating and maintaining the type.
The E-7A recently participated in Exercise Bamboo Eagle 25-1, which was held at Nellis AFB, Nevada from 27 January to 4 February.
The exercise replicated the challenges allied air forces would face should a conflict break out in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Australian DoD says that focus areas include long-range strike, maritime integration, and “multi-domain coordination”.
