DÉFENSE ZONE
In a press release published on 15 November 2023, NATO announced the replacement of its ageing AWACS with six Boeing E-7A Wedgetails. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2031.
“NATO absolutely needs surveillance and control aircraft to ensure the collective defence of Allies, and I welcome the commitment made by Allies to invest in high-end capabilities”, said the Organisation’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. “By pooling their resources, Allies are able to collectively acquire and operate major assets that they could not afford individually. This investment in cutting-edge technologies shows the full strength of transatlantic defence cooperation, as we continue to adapt to an increasingly unstable world.”
With airborne early warning and control capabilities, the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail provides accurate situational awareness and performs command and control functions. Thanks to a powerful radar, the aircraft can detect hostile aircraft, missiles and ships at very long range and can guide NATO fighters to their targets. In addition, the United States, the United Kingdom and Turkey also operate the Wedgetail, a military derivative of the Boeing 737, or are considering deploying it.
NATO’s AWACS fleet has been in service since the 1980s. Based in Geilenkirchen, Germany, these aircraft have been deployed in all of NATO’s major operations, including the fight against ISIL and on the Alliance’s eastern flank after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In principle, the E-7 fleet will also have Geilenkirchen as its main base and could operate from several forward bases in Europe. The Wedgetail is an integral part of the Alliance’s future surveillance and control capability project, which provides for bringing the new generation of systems into service.
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