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RAF Wedgetail programme reaches ‘significant milestone’

3rd November 2020 - 11:45 GMT | by Shephard News Team

RSS

Work begins in UK on installing radar on aircraft fuselages

Section 46 fuselage sections of the first pair of E-7 Wedgetail Mk1 AEW&C aircraft for the UK RAF have arrived at the STS Aviation Services conversion site in Birmingham.

This was hailed by Air Cdre Richard Barrow, MoD Senior Responsible Owner for the E-7 Wedgetail programme, as ‘a significant milestone’.

Section 46 is the part of the fuselage where the Northrop Grumman-made Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array radar will be installed on a B-737 commercial aircraft fuselage (the basis for the Wedgetail platform), prime contractor Boeing noted on 2 November.

Wedgetail is expected to enter service with the RAF in 2023. The UK has ordered five aircraft with a predicted out-of-service date of 2045, Shephard Defence Insight notes.

As well as STS Aviation Services, other key subcontractors include Leonardo and Thales UK (defensive aids including the Elix-IR threat warning system and Vicon XF intelligent countermeasures dispensing system).

As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.

E-7 Wedgetail (Second Order) [U.K.]

E-7 Wedgetail (737) - UK