Boeing to Develop 2 New E-7 Variants for 26-Strong, $1.2B Order

The Air Force has signaled its intent to buy 26 Boeing E-7A Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft to replace its fleet of aging E-3s, with a total value of $1.2 billion up for grabs.

The E-7A provides real time tracking for airborne targets with command and control capability for allied aircraft throughout the 'battlespace'. The E-7A uses the 737-700 as a base, allowing a generational increase in reliability and efficiency over the downright vintage Boeing 707 used by the E-3. 

The Air Force isn't the only one eager to make the deal happen, as Boeing announced it would begin development of 2 new variants of the E-7. The first aircraft is expected to enter USAF service by fiscal year 2027, though, like any military program, delays are a likely outcome. The rollout will be followed by an additional 24 aircraft purchased by 2032. 

The E-7A has already made itself at home in the Royal Australian Air Force, operating throughout their missions in the Middle East to acclaim from Australian brass. In service with the RAAF, the E-7A is known as the 'Wedgetail', offering a quantitative leap in scanning performance with its Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array and 10 crew stations. With a single aircraft, the Wedgetail can cover more than 4 million square kilometers at once, nearly half the continent. In its brief service so far, their E-7As have logged missions lasting more than 17 hours without breaking a sweat, kept aloft with consistent refueling.

"The E-7A will be the Department's principal airborne sensor for detecting, identifying, tracking and reporting all airborne activity to Joint Force Commanders," said Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.

FMI: www.boeing.com