Boeing has recently completed the first flight of the UK’s E-7 Wedgetail for the Royal Air Force (RAF), a significant step toward boosting the RAF’s airborne early warning and control capabilities. The aircraft’s inaugural flight, conducted by a Boeing flight-test crew, took place at Birmingham Airport and marked a crucial point in the program’s extensive testing and evaluation phase.
Currently undergoing modifications, the unpainted E-7 is one of three 737 NG aircraft being transformed by a dedicated team of over 100 specialists at STS Aviation Services in Birmingham. These modifications will enable the E-7 to offer state-of-the-art Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) sensor technology, providing a 360-degree view of multiple airborne and maritime threats at long range.
The E-7’s first flight highlights the collaboration between Boeing, the RAF, Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), and STS Aviation Services. Group Captain Richard Osselton, RAF Programme Director for Wedgetail, noted the achievement as a major milestone, emphasizing the team’s collective effort. Similarly, DE&S Director Air Support, Richard Murray, celebrated the progress made in this highly complex program.
Equipped with advanced detection and tracking systems, the E-7 gives the warfighter a critical advantage through multi-domain awareness and enhanced command-and-control capabilities. The future UK E-7 fleet will operate out of RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, where infrastructure development is already underway.
The RAF’s E-7s will join a growing global fleet already in service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the Republic of Korea Air Force, and the Turkish Air Force. The aircraft is also being developed for the United States Air Force (USAF), and NATO recently selected the E-7 for its own AEW&C missions.
Later this year, the UK E-7s will be painted in RAF livery, marking another step toward their official induction into service. Through partnerships with allied forces and ongoing technological advancements, the E-7 program ensures the UK remains at the forefront of airborne early warning and control capabilities.
