UK MoD “getting a grip” of budgets as three UK air programmes slip into the red
The E-7 Wedgetail is being manufactured for the UK by Boeing. (Photo: Boeing)
The E-7 Wedgetail, Future Combat Air System and the Protector programmes were highlighted as items of concern from a recently published UK Infrastructure and Projects Authority report.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has rebutted a report, published by the UK Infrastructure and Projects Authority, that stated the delivery status of three large scale air programmes – the E-7 Wedgetail, the Protector RG Mk1 and the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) – was “unachievable”.
The report, published on 17 January 2025, was compiled using data from between 2023 to March 2024. It noted that the downgrading of the programmes from an ‘amber’ to a ‘red’ categorisation signified “major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable”.
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Air Warfare
-
![Nuclear “Manhattan Project-type endeavour” plausible for AI advancement, says UK Chief of Defence Staff]()
Nuclear “Manhattan Project-type endeavour” plausible for AI advancement, says UK Chief of Defence Staff
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin also urged caution over a “drone-tastic” way of thinking when it comes to their use alongside traditional air and underwater domain platforms.
-
![Teal Drones delivers first Black Widows as parent company reports six-month loss]()
Teal Drones delivers first Black Widows as parent company reports six-month loss
In July 2025 Teal Drones was awarded Tranche 2 of the US Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) programme for a small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS).
-
![Poland confirms US$3.8 billion F-16V upgrade]()
Poland confirms US$3.8 billion F-16V upgrade
The Mid-Life Upgrade agreement comes as Poland makes significant increases in its defence spend as its plans to increase it to 5% of GDP by 2026.
