E-7 Wedgetail Specs, Radar, Operators and Cost

The E-7 Wedgetail is Boeing’s 737-based airborne early warning and control aircraft, carrying a Northrop Grumman MESA radar that Boeing and the manufacturer describe as detecting targets at more than 400 kilometers. It is flown by Australia, Türkiye, South Korea and the United Kingdom, and it is the leading candidate to replace the US Air Force’s aging E-3 Sentry.

What is the E-7 Wedgetail

The Wedgetail began as an Australian requirement, known as Project Wedgetail, to replace the airborne early warning capability the Royal Australian Air Force lacked. Boeing offered a 737-based design with Northrop Grumman’s new radar, and the first aircraft entered RAAF service in the 2010s after a long and troubled development. The type is now one of the most capable airborne command aircraft in service.

The aircraft acts as an airborne command post. Its radar detects aircraft and ships, its sensors classify them, and its crews direct fighters and sometimes ships toward threats. Operators also use the Wedgetail to coordinate missions in contested airspace and relaying the picture to other aircraft, ships and ground units over secure data links.

E-7 Wedgetail specifications

How the MESA radar works

MESA is an active electronically scanned array mounted in a fixed fin-shaped structure on top of the fuselage. Unlike the rotating dome on older aircraft, it steers its beams electronically, so it can look in many directions at once and track targets faster. Its design covers a full circle with a pair of side-facing arrays and two end-fire arrays at the front and rear.

The electronic steering lets operators dedicate more radar time to high-priority sectors without physically moving anything. It also adds reliability because there are no rotating parts to fail. The trade-off is weight and cost, which is a reason the Wedgetail needs a medium-sized airliner as its platform. Compared with the principles described in our AESA guide, MESA is a large, long-range implementation.

E-7 Wedgetail operators and variants

The Wedgetail is an operational aircraft, not a prototype. The Royal Air Force is now flying it after years of delays, and the Royal Australian Air Force has deployed it on operations in the Middle East and to Europe to support allied air surveillance. Australian Wedgetails have also been used to monitor NATO’s eastern flank, although mission details are not public.

The aircraft has no combat record in the sense of shooting down enemies, since it does not carry weapons. Its value is measured in the threats it detects and the fighters it positions. Boeing builds the aircraft; see the Boeing Defense, Space and Security profile for background on the manufacturer.

E-7 Wedgetail vs E-3 Sentry

The E-3 Sentry first flew in the 1970s and relies on a rotating radar dome. The Wedgetail’s electronic array offers greater sensitivity, faster updates and better performance against small, low-flying targets, and its airframe is newer and cheaper to operate. Its main competitor for the carrier role, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, is smaller and can operate from ships, while the Wedgetail is a land-based aircraft with far more space and endurance. The US Air Force has debated whether to buy the E-7 or rely on space-based and other sensors, so the program’s future in the United States is less certain than its international success.

E-7 Wedgetail frequently asked questions

What is the E-7 Wedgetail used for?

Airborne early warning and control: detecting aircraft and ships and directing fighters.

What is the range of the Wedgetail radar?

Manufacturer figures cite more than 400 km against fighter-sized targets. Exact performance is not public.

Who operates the E-7 Wedgetail?

Australia, Türkiye, South Korea and the United Kingdom, with the United States planning to buy it.

What aircraft does the E-7 replace?

The Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS.

Is the E-7 Wedgetail armed?

No. It relies on the fighters it directs and on escorts.