BLUF
The U.S. Air Force will replace thirty-one 1970’s era E-3 Sentry with 26 Boeing E-7 Wedgetail, Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft (AWACs) for missions beyond ground-based support.Summary
Kyle Mizokami writing in Popular Mechanics, makes the following points:
- Only about 60 per cent of the U.S. E3 fleet is mission-capable at any time.
- The Australian Wedgetail is based on the Boeing 737-700NG.
- E-3s were an important capability after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1991 and later in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Note: Australia was the Wedgetail launch customer. See Australian Wedgetail eagle.
References
Recent Runway Posts related to this topic:
References from the Web:
- FEB 2023 British air chief eyes return to five-strong Wedgetail buy- Defense News
- MAR 2023 SA FIRM TO UPGRADE RAAF’S WEDGETAIL-Australian Aviation
- MAR 2023 US Air Force buys E-7 spy plane to replace aging E-3 Sentry fleet-New Atlas
