US Air Force prepares next stage of E-3 Sentry modernisation
An E-3 Sentry takes off at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (Photo: US Air Force)
The USAF intends to conduct the second phase of the DRAGON programme from FY2026 to FY2030, while the future of the E3 replacement remains unknown.
The US Air Force (USAF) Materiel Command recently issued two presolicitations for the second phase of the E-3 AWACS Sentry Diminishing Manufacturing Sources Replacement of Avionics for Global Operations and Navigation (DRAGON) programme.
The modernisation effort is intended to avoid creating a capability gap in the service’s airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) inventory over the coming years, since the next steps in acquiring its substitute, the E-7 Wedgetail, remain unclear.
The USAF plans to award five-year firm-fixed price contracts for a total of 35 repairs to be conducted between FY2026 and FY2030. It will involve substituting 1970s analogue
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Spain air focus: Mature UAV market rewards early supplier engagement]()
Spain air focus: Mature UAV market rewards early supplier engagement
Spain accounts for 5% of European military UAV spending, broadly in line with its share of the continent’s wider defence market. What sets the country apart, however, is how much of that spending has already been committed, reflecting Spain's earlier adoption of the capability.
-
![New US Army UH-60M Black Hawk order bridges uncertain path to MV-75 transition]()
New US Army UH-60M Black Hawk order bridges uncertain path to MV-75 transition
The US$234 million award for 16 Sikorsky UH-60Ms preserves near-term production, but funding uncertainty and an undefinitised contract leave the US Army’s long-term Black Hawk requirements unresolved.
-
![V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal]()
V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal
Bell Boeing will supply 73 additional ODSSHI kits as NAVAIR prepares to introduce predictive drive-system monitoring across US and Japanese V-22 fleets.
-
![AFA 2026: US Air Force examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics]()
AFA 2026: US Air Force examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics
The US Air Force is evaluating demonstrators for uncrewed cargo missions as it considers logistics requirements across the Pacific and other contested environments.
-
![Germany air focus: Europe’s leading near-term air market targets domestic industry]()
Germany air focus: Europe’s leading near-term air market targets domestic industry
Between 2026 and 2032, almost a quarter of EU aircraft spending is expected to come from Germany. While crewed programmes seek modernisation and replacement, uncrewed opportunities look to introduce entirely new capabilities, with both highlighting sovereignty and domestic production.
