ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —
The Division of the Air Pressure awarded The Boeing Firm a contract to start work on the E-7A weapon system Feb 28. The worth of this preliminary contract won’t exceed $1.2 billion.
The DAF chosen the E-7A to switch the E-3 Airborne Warning and Management System. The E-7A will present superior Airborne Shifting Goal Indication and Battle Administration, Command and Management capabilities, and superior Multi-Function Electronically Scanned Array radar that enhances airborne battle administration and allows long-range kill chains with potential peer adversaries.
In fiscal 12 months 2022, the DAF chosen the E-7A to switch the E-3 AWACS and established an E-7A Program Administration Workplace. The DAF is utilizing the speedy prototyping acquisition pathway to accumulate the primary two E-7As.
“The E-7A would be the division’s principal airborne sensor for detecting, figuring out, monitoring, and reporting all airborne exercise to Joint Pressure commanders,” mentioned Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the Air Pressure for Acquisition, Know-how and Logistics. “This contract award is a crucial step in making certain that the division continues delivering battlespace consciousness and administration capabilities to U.S. warfighters, allies and companions for the following a number of many years. The E-7A will allow larger airborne battlespace consciousness by way of its exact, real-time air image and can be capable of management and direct particular person plane underneath a variety of environmental and operational situations.”
The USAF plans to start manufacturing in fiscal 2025, with the primary E-7A anticipated to be fielded by fiscal 2027. The service anticipates procuring 24 extra E-7As by fiscal 2032. The E-7A complete plane stock is projected to be 26.
The continuing modernization of the E-3 AWACS meets the intent of the 2022 Nationwide Protection Technique by persevering with worldwide Battle Administration, Command and Management and Airborne Shifting Goal Indication Operations as required by the DAF.
“We performed a radical evaluation of viable trade choices to make sure the chosen E-3 alternative might meet the particular wants of the U.S. Till the E-7A is fielded, we’ll proceed to depend on the E-3 AWACS,” Hunter mentioned. “The speedy prototyping program will combine U.S.-based mission techniques into the present airborne platform to fulfill DAF necessities whereas concurrently making certain interoperability with coalition and allied companions already working the E-7A.”
