May 2026 has seen a welcome reversal of previous plans to kill off the US Air Force’s E-7 plans and also witnessed the arrival of a first UK Wedgetail at RAF Lossiemouth, but neither of these apparently positive developments were particularly good news for a programme that remains troubled.
In testimony before the US House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee on 12 May 2026, 2026, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth described the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft as a platform that could “perform relevant missions” and said that it “has a future; it has a place on the battlefield”, apparently reversing previous Pentagon efforts to cancel the programme. This followed Air Force Secretary Troy Meink’s testimony on 30 April 2026, in which he told lawmakers that the US Air Force (USAF) had signed contracts for five additional E-7 Wedgetail aircraft in addition to two rapid prototypes. Engineering and manufacturing development activities will continue.
“We’ve actually sent a budget amendment to the OMB [the White House Office of Management and Budget]” to fund the aircraft, Hegseth told Appropriations Committee Chairman Representative Tom Cole. Last year Hegseth had told Cole that the E-7 was “not survivable in the modern battlefield” and said that its role would pass to space-based sensors. Funding was therefore ‘zeroed out’ of the FY2026 defence budget, before Congress restored funding for the first two ‘rapid prototypes’.
Hegseth noted that an either/or space/airborne dichotomy reflected a mindset that the Trump administration had now shed, which he characterised as a “divest to invest” or an “austerity mindset”.
However, while there is now a USAF commitment of sorts to the E-7A, that commitment remains a long way from the originally planned 26 aircraft when initial Wedgetail contracts were signed in 2023.
On 26 May the House Armed Services Committee revealed that it had not yet received a budget amendment to fund the E-7 Wedgetail.
In the UK, Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth, the Chief of the Air Staff, told the Royal United Services Combat Air Conference on 12 March 2026, “Our E-7 Wedgetail, arriving at RAF Lossiemouth this month, will provide the RAF with world-class airborne early warning and battlespace management capability.” Seasoned programme watchers greeted this announcement with incredulity, as the programme has progressed at a glacial pace and there have been reports of really significant problems.
On 17 March 2026, Rupert Pearce, the National Armaments Director, told the UK House of Commons Defence Committee about some of the technological problems that had affected the Wedgetail. “We thought we were going to get an aircraft that was largely proven out of Australia, but in fact the time difference between the Australian version of Wedgetail flying and our own has meant a much higher level of obsolescence and new certification of new components. That has caused very significant delays in the programme,” he explained.
“We have also found that Boeing has been a troubled partner. They are working very hard and trying very hard, but as we know – it is well publicised – they have had difficulties inside their own aircraft programmes, and that has led to a much higher level of scrutiny at the certification process inside Boeing. That is not a bad thing, but it has led to delays.”
A UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson noted, “The E-7 Wedgetail is a first-of-type platform for the UK, with enhanced capabilities beyond those of other E-7 aircraft in service, so additional testing is required. It is currently undergoing a thorough programme of testing, qualification and certification, and will transition to Lossiemouth once completed.”
This was, however, the tip of the iceberg. The UK MoD originally signed a GBP 1.5 billion (EUR 1.74 billion) contract with Boeing in March 2019 for five E-7A Wedgetail AEW Mk 1 (AEW1) aircraft for delivery between 2023 and 2026 to replace the E-3D Sentry fleet operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). It has been alleged that the contract was ‘rushed through’ in nine months (rather than the usual two to three years) and that this meant many assumptions made during the planning of the programme subsequently proved to be incorrect.
The UK MoD officially reduced the RAF’s order for E-7 Wedgetails from five to three in the March 2021 Defence Command Paper (‘Defence in a Competitive Age’). The original order for five E-7s was then estimated as costing GBP 2.1 billion, while the three E-7s will cost GBP 1.89 billion.
A Labour MP, Luke Akehurst, called this decision “extraordinary, destructive and irrational” and charged that: “The axing of 40% of the fleet delivered only a 12% saving on the cost of the programme.” A 2023 Defence Committee report described the decision as “an absolute folly” in operational and financial terms because of the risk to the fleet’s warfighting capability from the reduced number and because there were such limited savings from that reduction.
It was said at the time that the UK was still contractually obligated to pay for all five of the originally ordered Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar systems, as those for aircraft four and five had already started production. This has been challenged, not least by the then defence secretary, Ben Wallace, who said on X that the RAF and Boeing had gone “behind” ministers’ backs to procure the five radars. “It was one of the worst examples of dishonesty I saw from an armed service,” he said.
In September 2022 it was revealed that the initial operating capability (IOC) for the E-7 Wedgetail had slipped from 2023 to 2024 (subject to confirmation of the Full Business Case). It was feared that the IOC might slip into 2025 if the MoD received its first E-7 in late 2024, while it can now be assumed that IOC cannot happen before 2027 or 2028.
Although the MoD and Boeing have kept a ‘tight lid’ on what has been happening to the programme, it is clear that the industry team has performed poorly. This is perhaps unsurprising, given that the preferred subcontractor felt unable to continue with its participation in the programme.
The UK’s Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group (MADG) was originally Boeing’s first choice to convert five Boeing 737NG airliners into E-7A Wedgetail surveillance platforms for the RAF and the Cambridge-based company was awarded a risk-reduction contract in July 2019. In May 2020, however, MADG chief executive Alistair McPhee announced his company’s withdrawal from the project.
“Despite the very best efforts of all parties, we have not been able to find a way to make the programme commercially viable for our business,” he said. “As a UK business we would have been incredibly proud to partner with Boeing to play our part in delivering such an important new platform for the RAF. However, we have to balance that against what is right for the long-term future and financial security of our independent, private company.”
On 20 May 2020 Boeing Defence UK announced that a commercial maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) specialist, STS Aviation Services, would now conduct the work at Birmingham Airport, despite the scope of the conversion being well outside STS’ comfort zone. This may be part of the reason for the programme’s troubles, as fitting and integrating a modern AEW radar and mission system presented STS (more used to installing new cabin interiors and inflight entertainment systems) with new challenges.
However, Boeing seemed unperturbed; Maria Laine, president of Boeing UK, Ireland and the Nordics, stated, “We’re proud of the robust E-7 modification line we’ve stood up in the UK to deliver the RAF’s future airborne early warning & control fleet. We are committed to delivering this crucial capability to support the UK’s national security and contribute toward regional stability.”
Being ‘committed’ is fine, of course, but in and of itself may not achieve the desired goal.
In hindsight, there seems to be a growing recognition that the decision that the programme’s first two airframes would be refurbished second-hand examples sourced from the commercial sector may also have been one that was taken in error. The fact that the two airframes were low-houred Boeing Business Jets was advantageous, but the fact that they came from Chinese and Russian operators was less so, as the two aircraft allegedly had patchy engineering records that compromised airframe/systems commonality and cast doubt on certification.
The first RAF Wedgetail, WT001, made its maiden flight out of Birmingham Airport on 20 September 2024, during which a Boeing flight-test crew conducted functional checks.
Richard Murray, Director Air Support for the UK MoD’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) organisation, claimed, “This first flight marks a significant milestone for the programme and for our team, who have worked tirelessly with our partners to progress what is a hugely complex endeavour. We are moving forward and will be delivering this critical capability to the RAF.” He did not say when.
Group Captain Richard Osselton, the RAF’s programme director for Wedgetail, also claimed the first flight as “a significant milestone, representing an outstanding effort from the RAF programme team, DE&S, Boeing and STS Aviation. We will now build on this success and look forward to continuing the test and evaluation phase as part of our preparations for the aircraft to enter into service.”
The aircraft flew to Southend Airport on 1 October 2024 to be painted and returned to Birmingham on 18 October, having emerged from Air Livery’s hangar the previous day. Keen-eyed observers noted that the ‘fin flash’ had been painted ‘back to front’.
The aircraft then apparently remained on the ground for another seven months, but the fin flash had at least been corrected when it took off on a “key test flight on July 10, 2025, verifying mission systems, radar, and communications”.
Cynical observers questioned how the radar and mission systems could have been meaningfully ‘verified’, as they had not then (and reportedly may still have not) been turned on in flight.
The aircraft conducted a flypast with the Red Arrows at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford on 19 July 2025, performing a ‘touch and go’ before departing back to Birmingham. The aircraft arrived later than expected, after rumours that it might not appear at all and after having been a ‘no show’ the day before.
Stu Voboril, Boeing vice president and E-7 programme manager, neatly avoided saying anything about missing the Friday display (let alone about programme status), instead commenting, “Today’s flight is an amazing testament to the work of our integrated Boeing and UK supplier team, in partnership with the RAF. Our work reflects the pride we take in supporting the strategic alliance among the UK, US and allies, and the role the E-7 plays in strengthening global joint force mission advantage.” Anyone would have thought that he was describing an aircraft that was working as intended.
A few days later, on 22 July 2025, WT001 was flown to Boscombe Down test centre for what was described as radar calibration testing. The aircraft did not fly again until 28 November, when it departed MoD Boscombe Down en route to Birmingham Airport. This was reportedly one day later than planned.
Planned testing was reportedly not completed as the aircraft was unable to complete systems self-testing. Power delivery to subsystems was said to have been the main issue, while Boeing were said to have been “thoroughly unhelpful regarding the cause”.
While WT001 disappeared back inside the STS hangars at Birmingham, sister aircraft WT002 was spotted, unpainted but looking complete apart from its nose radome, doing engine runs at Birmingham Airport on 28 January 2026.
The first aircraft made a two hour and 47 minute test flight on 19 May 2026, mostly operating off the North Devon/Cornwall coast in conjunction with a Draken Falcon 20 (G-FRAD), an RAF Typhoon and other potential radar targets. The Typhoon was tasked with both testing some of the sensors on the Wedgetail but also with using its own infrared search and track sensor to check the thermal signature of the E-7A. The aircraft made two approaches to RAF Brize Norton en route home.
The Boeing team had reportedly managed to get WT001 through the initial system diagnostics successfully for this flight. Sources differ as to whether or not the radar was switched on during the sortie. Although many appeared certain that it had not been, others were less definite. One ‘programme adjacent’ source stated, “It does appear that the radar was fully powered up and at least some cursory tracking was done.”
Whatever the truth, the programme is being very cagey about progress.
On 21 May 2026 the same aircraft flew from Birmingham to RAF Lossiemouth, which will eventually be the type’s operational home and where a great deal of infrastructure has already been built. The aircraft was flown to Lossiemouth by a mixed crew consisting of personnel from Boeing UK and the RAF.
However, official releases and media stories emphasised that this was not a service delivery and that the aircraft would be continuing its test and evaluation phase at its future main operating base and at MoD Boscombe Down. When the test and evaluation phase is complete, the aircraft will be formally handed over from Boeing UK to the RAF, with whom it will be operated by No 8 Squadron.
The Wedgetail’s arrival at Lossiemouth was relatively low key, without the usual crowds of politicians and very senior officers. More unkind observers questioned whether this was a matter of senior people wanting to avoid being seen and photographed with what may still be regarded as a ‘toxic programme’, let alone with feeling obliged to praise it publicly and risk becoming a ‘hostage to fortune’.
The aircraft was greeted by a member of the RAF Lossiemouth Pipe Band, who gave the aircraft a proper Scottish welcome. The aircraft was met by the RAF Lossiemouth Station Commander, Group Captain Sarah Brewin, as well as representatives from Boeing UK, the Wedgetail Project Team and No 8 Squadron.
Gp Capt Brewin stated, “We are delighted to welcome the arrival of the first Wedgetail aircraft to RAF Lossiemouth to continue its test and evaluation phase. This marks a significant step in delivering the Royal Air Force’s next generation of airborne surveillance and control capabilities that will support the defence of the UK for the years to come. RAF Lossiemouth has been working hard to get ready to operate these aircraft, and we are looking forward very much to this next exciting chapter in the station’s history when the aircraft enters RAF service.”
Many believe that it may be a case of ‘if’ the Wedgetail enters service, rather than ‘when’. There have been suggestions that the first two aircraft (the second-hand ex-Chinese and ex-Russian airframes) might be effectively uncertifiable except at prohibitive cost.
Boeing once planned to manufacture as many as six Wedgetails every year to meet domestic (USAF) and international requirements, but that expectation now looks ambitious at best.
The tremendous operational success of the Wedgetail in RAAF service (after a shaky start) led many to view the E-7 as being the ‘reference’ new-generation AEW&C platform. The selection of the rival Saab GlobalEye platform by the United Arab Emirates (which could have afforded to buy the Wedgetail) came before RAAF Wedgetails started to demonstrate their capability and bulletproof reliability in the fight against Daesh in the Middle East.
The UK announced that it was looking at a potential E-7 Wedgetail procurement in October 2018 and signed a contract in March 2019, while senior USAF officers began talking about a near-term E-7 acquisition in early 2021. In October 2021 the USAF issued a Notice of Contract Action, stating its intent to award a sole-source contract to Boeing for a study to determine whether the E-7 would meet USAF configuration standards and mandates.
In April 2022 the USAF announced that the E-7 would replace the E-3 and that it was “the only platform capable of meeting the requirements for the Defense Department’s tactical battle management, command-and-control and moving-target-indication capabilities within the timeframe needed”.
An initial USD 1.2 billion (EUR 1.03 billion) contract was awarded in 2023 and a final production decision for a total fleet of 26 aircraft was scheduled for 2025 for entry to service from 2027. This was the ‘high watermark’ for the Wedgetail, which now had a stellar operational reputation and a reference customer in the shape of the USAF.
NATO issued a request for information (RFI) in 2022 for a capability to replace its 14 E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft by 2035. It was hardly surprising that in November 2023 NATO announced that it was aiming to procure six E-7s and that these would begin operations in 2031.
In much the same timeframe, South Korea initiated a competition to acquire four additional AEW&C aircraft to augment its E-7 fleet and many expected that an E-7 solution would be an inevitable choice.
It was at that point that the Wedgetail’s seemingly bright future appeared to crumble. It emerged that the Republic of Korea Air Force’s four E-7 aircraft had been unable to sustain the required 24/7 single aircraft ‘orbit’ and had suffered costly reliability issues and a ‘below specified’ availability rate. In the UK the Wedgetail programme was beginning to struggle and on 26 June 2025 it was reported that the USAF had cancelled its E-7 programme after months of rumour. The cancellation was blamed on steeply rising costs, survivability concerns and a preference for space-based air moving target indicator (AMTI) capabilities in the Trump Administration.
The USAF’s apparent (and brief) rejection of the aircraft prompted NATO and more recently Canada to reconsider their varying degrees of commitment to/interest in the E-7 and may have influenced South Korea’s selection of the rival L3Harris Aeris X aircraft in September 2026.
In November 2025 the Dutch Ministry of Defence announced the cancellation of the planned NATO acquisition of the E-7, which, it said, had lost its “strategic and financial basis”. On 27 May 2026 Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney officially announced that Canada would not be purchasing Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail for its AEW and surveillance fleet and that it had instead entered into negotiations with Saab to procure the GlobalEye, citing delays and cost overruns with the E-7 and outlining a strategic goal to reduce reliance on US defence equipment and contractors.
It would be ironic if an apparent loosening in US commitment was found to have been the main ‘trigger’ in the NATO and Canadian decisions. As so often with the Trump Administration, apparent hard policy decisions were quickly reversed, as evidenced by Secretary Hegseth’s very different tone on the Wedgetail in May 2026 compared to just one year earlier. And even during this one year ‘commitment holiday’, the two ‘rapid prototypes’ were commissioned and paid for, with the first of them flown to STS Aviation Services at Birmingham Airport for conversion on 21 March 2026.
The USAF’s planned procurement endorses Boeing’s claims that the aircraft offers “unmatched capabilities for greater situational awareness and battle management” and will provide “operational advantage for mission success”. The USAF ‘seal of approval’ may again boost the aircraft’s attractiveness to some potential foreign buyers, perhaps including Saudi Arabia.
The Middle East may now provide the most promising market for the Wedgetail. During Operation ‘Epic Fury’ the vital importance of AEW&C was underlined, and both Israel and Qatar could represent opportunities for the E-7. In 2014 Qatar stated that it planned to purchase three Boeing 737 AEW&C aircraft, before deciding not to proceed with the planned purchase in 2018. Israel, which operates the indigenous Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Eitam (a Gulfstream G550-based platform with Elta’s EL/W-2085 sensor package) and which provides radar and mission systems for the L3Harris Aeris family, may be a tougher nut to crack. Some see potential for Turkey to expand its existing four-aircraft E-7T Peace Eagle fleet, while others believe that Egypt could see the E-7 as a potential replacement for its air force’s ageing E-2C Hawkeyes.
There can be little doubt that the E-7 Wedgetail has been going through a torrid time, but it would seem premature to write it off just yet. The UK’s ongoing issues are more to do with the choice of individual airframes being converted (and perhaps the inexperienced local contractor) than with the basic aircraft and system design. For other potential operators, the advice might be that ‘your mileage may vary’.
