Boeing has successfully completed the maiden flight of the UK’s E-7 Wedgetail for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
A Boeing flight-test crew carried out functional checks during this first flight from Birmingham Airport, marking a significant milestone in the test and evaluation phase of the programme. Currently unpainted, this aircraft is one of three 737 NG models in Britain, undergoing modification by a team of over 100 specialists at STS Aviation Services in Birmingham.
The battle-proven E-7 can detect and identify adversarial targets at long range while simultaneously tracking multiple airborne and maritime threats. Its multi-role electronically scanned array (MESA) sensor provides 360-degree coverage, offering war fighters critical multi-domain awareness, alongside command-and-control decision superiority.
The future UK E-7 fleet will be based at RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland, where Boeing’s local suppliers and contractors are finalising infrastructure to support its entry into service.
The RAF works under a tri-lateral agreement with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to ensure collaborative Wedgetail interoperability, development, testing, sustainment, operations, training, and safety.
Currently, the RAAF, Republic of Korea Air Force, and Turkish Air Force operate the E-7. Boeing is also producing two rapid prototype E-7 aircraft for the USAF, and in 2023, NATO selected the E-7 for its Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) mission. The expanding global fleet of E-7s ensures mission systems interoperability, readiness, and cost-effectiveness, alongside a shared technical growth pathway to counter emerging global threats.
Later this autumn, after a series of flight tests and further evaluations, the aircraft will be sent to a paint facility to receive its official RAF livery.
