The Boeing 737 AEW&C is a twin-engine
airborne early warning and control aircraft based on the
Boeing 737 Next Generation
The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as 737NG, or 737 Next Gen, is a narrow-body aircraft powered by two jet engines and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Launched in 1993 as the third generation derivative of the Boeing ...
design. It is lighter than the 707-based
Boeing E-3 Sentry, and has a fixed,
active electronically scanned array radar antenna instead of a rotating one. It was designed for the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(RAAF) under "Project Wedgetail" and designated E-7A Wedgetail.
The 737 AEW&C has also been selected by the
Turkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known to ...
(under "Project Peace Eagle",
Turkish: ''Barış Kartalı'', designated ''E-7T'', the
Republic of Korea Air Force
The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF; ko, 대한민국 공군; RR: ''Daehanminguk Gong-gun''), also known as the ROK Air Force or South Korean Air Force, is the aerial warfare service branch of South Korea, operating under the Ministry of N ...
("Project Peace Eye",
Korean
Korean may refer to:
People and culture
* Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula
* Korean cuisine
* Korean culture
* Korean language
**Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl
**Korean dialects and the Jeju language
** ...
: "피스 아이"), and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
(designated Wedgetail AEW1). In April 2022, the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
announced that the AEW&C will be replacing the E-3 beginning in 2027.
Design and development
![B737 AEW&C Wedgetail cut model](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/B737_AEW%26C_Wedgetail_cut_model.PNG)
The Australian
Department of Defence Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
evaluated industry proposals for airborne surveillance and early warning systems as early as 1986.
Further studies led to the approval of the first phase of ''Project AIR 5077'' in 1994.
[ In 1996, Australia issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the aircraft for the RAAF under ''Project Wedgetail'', which refers to the indigenous eagle. In 1999, Australia awarded Boeing Integrated Defense Systems a contract to supply four AEW&C aircraft with options for three additional aircraft.][
The 737 AEW&C is roughly similar to the 737-700ER. It uses the ]Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems (NGES) was a business segment of Northrop Grumman from 1996 to 2015 until a reorganization on January 1, 2016 merged other Northrop Grumman businesses into NGES to form a new segment called Mission Systems. NG ...
Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array
The Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) is an active electronically scanned array surveillance radar system for the Boeing 737 AEW&C airborne early warning and control aircraft. The radar is produced by Northrop Grumman.
Design and d ...
(MESA) radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...
. The electronically scanned AEW and surveillance radar is located on a dorsal fin on top of the fuselage, dubbed the "top hat", and is designed for minimal aerodynamic effect. The radar is capable of simultaneous air and sea search, fighter control and area search, with a maximum range of over 600 km (look-up mode). In addition, the radar antenna array is also doubled as an ELINT
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of '' signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ...
array, with a maximum range of over 850 km at altitude. Radar signal processing equipment and central computer are installed directly below the antenna array.
Other modifications include ventral fins to counterbalance the radar and countermeasures
A countermeasure is a measure or action taken to counter or offset another one. As a general concept, it implies precision and is any technological or tactical solution or system designed to prevent an undesirable outcome in the process. The fi ...
mounted on the nose, wingtips and tail. In-flight refueling is via a receptacle on top of the forward fuselage. The cabin features eight operator consoles with sufficient space for four more; the Australian fleet will operate ten consoles with space for two more (four on starboard side and six on the port side).
Operational history
Australia
Australia ordered four AEW&C aircraft with options for three additional aircraft, two of which have since been taken up. The first two Wedgetails were assembled, modified and tested in Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, while the remainder were modified by Boeing Australia
Boeing Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, or simply Boeing Australia, is Boeing's largest subdivision outside the United States. Established in 2002, the company oversees its seven wholly owned subsidiaries, consolidating and co-ordinating Boeing’s ...
, with deliveries once set to begin in 2006,. Boeing and Northrop teamed with Boeing Australia, and BAE Systems Australia
BAE Systems Australia, a subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, is one of the largest defence contractors in Australia. It was formed by the merger of British Aerospace Australia and GEC-Marconi Systems and expanded by the acquisitions of Armor Holding ...
. Boeing Australia provides training, maintenance and support, BAE provides EWSP systems, Electronic Support Measures
In military telecommunications, electronic support (ES) or electronic support measures (ESM) gather intelligence through passive "listening" to electromagnetic radiations of military interest. They are an aspect of electronic warfare involving ac ...
(ESM) systems and ground support systems.
On 29 June 2006, the Australian Minister for Defence, Brendan Nelson
Brendan John Nelson (born 19 August 1958) is a business leader and former Australian politician. He served as the federal Leader of the Opposition from 2007 to 2008, going on to serve as Australia's senior diplomat to the European Union and NA ...
, stated that the Wedgetail was delayed despite Boeing's prior assurance that work was on schedule.[ Nelson, Brendanbr>"Wedgetail Project"]
. Australian Minister for Defence press release. Boeing announced an 18-month delay due to problems integrating radar and sensor systems, and did not expected delivery until early 2009. Additionally, Boeing incurred $770 million in charges over the delay in 2006.["Radar down under Australia grapples with the Wedgetail AEW&C program"](_blank)
C4ISR Journal, 4 May 2007. On 20 June 2008, Boeing announced a further delay due to integration issues with the radar and Electronic Support Measure (ESM) systems.["Minister Tours Wedgetail Facility at BAE Systems Australia"](_blank)
. Australian DoD press release.
On 26 November 2009, Boeing delivered the first two 737 AEW&Cs to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). These aircraft remained Boeing owned and operated prior to the RAAF's formal acceptance on 5 May 2010. The RAAF accepted its sixth and last 737 AEW&C on 5 June 2012. All RAAF Wedgetails are operated by No. 2 Squadron RAAF
No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadron that operates from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales. From its formation in 1916 as part of the Australian Flying Corps, it has flown a variety of aircraft types ...
and based at RAAF Base Williamtown with a permanent detachment at RAAF Base Tindal
RAAF Base Tindal is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base and civil aviation airfield located east southeast of the town of Katherine, Northern Territory in Australia. The base is currently home to No. 75 Squadron and a nu ...
. In November 2012, the Wedgetail achieved Initial Operational Capability.["Wedgetail AEW&C Aircraft has achieved IPC"]
. airforceworld.com
On 1 April 2014, the first operational sortie occurred in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370/MAS370) was an international passenger flight operated by Malaysia Airlines that disappeared on 8 March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia to its planned destination ...
, helping control maritime patrol aircraft
A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also known as a patrol aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, or by the older American term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol rol ...
off Western Australia's coast. On 1 October 2014, a Wedgetail conducted the first Australian sortie over Iraq supporting coalition forces conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...
(ISIL). On 26 May 2015, the Wedgetail fleet achieved final operational capability (FOC).["RAAF's E-7A Wedgetails achieve FOC"](_blank)
- Flightglobal.com, 26 May 2015
In November 2015, the Wedgetail performed the longest Australian command and control mission in a war zone during a 17-hour, 6-minute combat mission, requiring two air-to-air refuelings to stay aloft. Australian Wedgetail crews routinely perform 13-hour missions. In early April 2016, Rotation 5 of aircrew and maintenance personnel that had been operating the RAAF Wedgetail in the Middle East achieved a record 100 percent mission success rate in Coalition operations against ISIS. The E-7A successfully conducted all 36 missions, each lasting upwards of 12 hours, amounting to nearly 500 hours of flying for the one aircraft.
Turkey
Four Boeing 737 AEW&C Peace Eagle aircraft along with ground support systems were ordered by the Turkish Air Force, with an option for two more. Turkish Aerospace Industries
Turkish Aerospace Inc. ( tr, Türk Havacılık ve Uzay Sanayi A.Ş., TUSAŞ) is the center of technology in design, development, manufacturing, integration of aerospace systems, modernization and after sales support in Turkey.
Located in Ankara ...
(TAI) is the Peace Eagle's primary subcontractor, performing parts production, testing, aircraft assembly and conversion. Another Turkish subcontractor, HAVELSAN, is responsible for ground support elements, system analysis and software support. HAVELSAN is also the only foreign company licensed by the U.S. Government to receive critical source codes. Peace Eagle 1 was modified and tested by Boeing in the US, while Peace Eagle 2, 3 and 4 were modified and tested at TAI's facilities in Ankara, Turkey, in partnership with Boeing and several Turkish companies. In 2006, the four Peace Eagles were scheduled to be delivered in 2008.["Boeing Installs MESA Antenna on First Peace Eagle Aircraft"](_blank)
. Boeing, 2 March 2006.
In September 2007, Boeing completed the first Peace Eagle test flight. On 4 June 2008, it was announced that Peace Eagle 2, the second 737 AEW&C, had completed modifications; flight and mission system checks were completed in the third quarter of 2008. In 2013, Israel delivered EW equipment for the Peace Eagle under US pressure. On 21 February 2014, the first Peace Eagle, named ''Kuzey'' (meaning North), was formally accepted by the Turkish Air Force.["First Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft of the Peace Eagle Project, ''Kuzey'' (North) was taken into inventory"]
. Turkish Air Force The remaining three aircraft are named ''Güney'' (South), ''Doğu'' (East) and ''Batı'' (West).[ The fourth and final Peace Eagle was delivered in December 2015.
]
South Korea
On 7 November 2006, Boeing won a $1.6 billion contract with South Korea to deliver four aircraft by 2012.[South Korea picks Boeing for surveillance planes]
." Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency was esta ...
. 8 November 2006. Boeing beat the other entrant, IAI Elta's Gulfstream G550
The Gulfstream G550 is a business jet aircraft produced by General Dynamics' Gulfstream Aerospace unit in Savannah, Georgia, US. The certification designation is GV-SP. A version with reduced fuel capacity was marketed as the G500. Gulfstream ...
-based aircraft, which was eliminated from the competition in August 2006.[S. Korea drops IAI, keeps Boeing in $2 bln plane deal]
" Reuters. 3 August 2006. The first ''Peace Eye'' aircraft was delivered to Gimhae Air Base
Gimhae Air Base is a Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) base adjacent to Gimhae International Airport. Runway 18L/36R is used for military purposes only.
Units
The base is home to the ROKAF's 5th Tactical Airlift Wing (제5전술공수비행 ...
, Busan
Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, ...
for acceptance testing on 1 August 2011 with the remaining three aircraft delivered every six months until 2012. The second aircraft was modified into an AEW&C configuration by Korea Aerospace Industries
Korea Aerospace Industries (Korean: 한국항공우주산업, Hanja: 韓國航空宇宙産業) (KAI) is a South Korean aerospace and defense company. It was originally established as a joint venture of Samsung Aerospace, Daewoo Heavy Industries' ...
(KAI), then delivered to Gimhae Air Base on 13 December 2011. After receiving AEW&C modifications by KAI, the third aircraft was delivered on 17 May 2012 to Gimhae Air Base. The fourth aircraft was delivered on 24 October 2012.[Gary Parsons, Gary]
"Boeing Delivers Final Peace Eye to Korea"
. Key Publishing via key.aero, 31 October 2012.
United Kingdom
In October 2018, the British Government announced that it was in talks with Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force about the potential for the E-7 Wedgetail to replace its E-3D fleet. The apparent decision to proceed with procurement without a competition received some criticism, with the Ministry of Defence accused of displaying favouritism towards Boeing, while Saab voiced its opposition to the "non-competitive" deal as it could offer the Erieye
The Erieye radar system is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) developed by Saab Electronic Defence Systems (formerly Ericsson Microwave Systems) of Sweden. It uses active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology. The Er ...
system mounted on Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft. On 22 March 2019, it was announced by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson
Sir Gavin Alexander Williamson (born 25 June 1976) is a British politician who most recently served as Minister of State without Portfolio from 25 October to 8 November 2022. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Staffordshire s ...
that the UK had signed a $1.98 billion deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetails. The aircraft is to be designated as the "Wedgetail AEW1".
Airframe modification was expected to be performed by Marshall Aerospace, but it withdrew in May 2020, thus Boeing selected STS Aviation Group's UK branch on 20 May 2020. Two of the five aircraft are to be converted commercial airliners and the rest are to be new. Each conversion takes about 24 months, with work on the first aircraft starting in 2021 and the last to be completed in 2026. As of June 2020, the first Wedgetail delivery had been expected in 2023. In December 2020, ''Air Forces Monthly'' reported that the UK was considering reducing its Wedgetail purchase from five to three aircraft and stated that such a move "could often mean just one aircraft would be available for operational tasking." The 2021 Integrated Defence Review confirmed the reduced order of three aircraft. In late 2022, it was reported that initial operating capability for the aircraft had slipped to 2024.
Potential customers
In 2004, the Italian Air Force
, colours =
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was considering the purchase of a total of 14 Wedgetail and P-8 MMA aircraft, with aircraft support to be provided by Alitalia
Alitalia - Società Aerea Italiana S.p.A., operating as Alitalia (), was an Italian airline which was once the flag carrier and largest airline of Italy. The company had its head office in Fiumicino, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital. The ai ...
.["U.S. MMA Decision Reverberates in Italy". '' Aviation Week & Space Technology'', 21 June 2004.]
The Wedgetail was reportedly the favored competitor for the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...
' AEW&C program in 2007.[ . 22 February 2007.]
In 2014, Qatar stated it planned to purchase three 737 AEW&C aircraft.
In February 2021 General Kenneth S. Wilsbach, the Commander of the United States Pacific Air Forces
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...
, proposed that the USAF rapidly acquire E-7s to replace the E-3s deployed to the Indo-Pacific region. In April 2021, '' Aviation Week & Space Technology'' reported that Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, also voiced support for a near-term E-7 acquisition. In October 2021, the USAF published a "Notice of Contract Action" stating its intent to award Boeing a sole-source contract to study the E-7 to determine if it can meet USAF configuration standards and mandates.
On April 26, 2022, the U.S. Air Force announced that the E-7 would replace the E-3 as it "is the only platform capable of meeting the requirements for the Defense Department’s tactical battle management, command and control and moving target indication capabilities within the timeframe needed...” The contract is due to be awarded in 2023, followed by a final production decision in 2025. The first USAF E-7 will enter service in 2027.
Operators
;
* Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
– six aircraft in use, designated "E-7A Wedgetail".["RAAF's Wedgetail Squadron marks history by celebrating battle honours"](_blank)
. Australian Department of Defence, 30 November 2012.
** No. 2 Squadron
;
* Republic of Korea Air Force
The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF; ko, 대한민국 공군; RR: ''Daehanminguk Gong-gun''), also known as the ROK Air Force or South Korean Air Force, is the aerial warfare service branch of South Korea, operating under the Ministry of N ...
– four aircraft in use, designated "Peace Eye".[ The ROKAF is considering ordering 2-3 more aircraft.
**51st Air Control Group
**271th Airborne Air Control Squadron
;
* ]Turkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known to ...
– four aircraft in use, designated "E-7T Peace Eagle".
**AEW&C Group Command in Konya, callsign "Wiseman"
;
* Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
– three aircraft on order[ designated "Wedgetail AEW1".
** No. 8 Squadron
]
Specifications
See also
References
External links
Boeing 737 AEW&C page on Boeing.com
RAAF E-7 Wedgetail page
E-7A WEDGETAIL Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft on airrecognition.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boeing 737 AewandC
737 AEWandC
2000s United States special-purpose aircraft
Twinjets
AWACS aircraft
737 AEWandC
Low-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 2004