USAF reiterates interest in Wedgetail
An RAAF Boeing E-7A Wedgetail, pictured flying over Iraq in April 2020. (Photo: USAF/Staff Sgt Daniel Snider)
US may decide to procure the same AEW&C platform as its AUKUS partners, as a stopgap solution to replace the ageing E-3 Sentry.
The USAF is interested in a near-term procurement of the Airborne Moving Target Indicator (AMTI) radar-equipped Boeing E-7A Wedgetail, which is already operational with the Royal Australian Air Force and is entering service with the RAF as the Wedgetail AEW1 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform.
Wedgetail has been studied by the USAF as an interim measure between the retirement of ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft and the introduction of an AMTI capability on satellites or networks of distributed sensors linked by the Advanced Battle Management System.
Speaking on 21 September
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