Boeing secures $569 million contract to support Royal Australian Air Force’s E-7 Wedgetail

Boeing Defence Australia has signed an AU$569 million (US$359 million) maintenance contract with the Australian government for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) fleet of E-7 Wedgetail surveillance aircraft.

Announced by the government, the contract will reportedly deliver enhancements to the E-7 aircraft and ground systems, enabling the aircraft to be upgraded and maintained “over the next decade”.

The RAAF operates six E-7 aircraft, which are stationed at its base in Williamtown. In 2018, Boeing signed a new contract that allowed for the upgrade and sustainment of the RAAF’s Wedgetail fleet into 2035. As noted by Shephard Defence Insight, lifecycle upgrades and sustainment are valued at more than AU$1.5 billion (US$1 billion).

According to the government, the latest contract will support 170 jobs in the region and sustain around 360 defence and industry personnel who support the Wedgetail fleet.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said: “The Albanese Government continues to invest in the capabilities needed for our Defence Force. We’ve seen how important this capability is, most recently through its deployment to Europe helping to provide early warning for potential threats from Russia under Operation Kudu.”

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C)