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Australia’s E-7A Wedgetail has been selected by NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to fulfil the initial Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (iAFSC) capability.
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It was a hard slog, but the proof is in the pudding following an announcement by NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) that it will work with the US government via a foreign military sales (FMS) case to acquire six Boeing E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Wedgetail aircraft.
NATO’s current Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet, a key surveillance and control asset based on the Boeing 707-based E-3 Sentry platform, is scheduled to retire around 2035.
The replacement is part of the initial Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (iAFSC) capability, which will see the Wedgetail become part of and integrated into the overall Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) system of systems capability.
NATO’s iAFSC acquisition strategy plans to deliver the requirements defined by the NATO strategic commands and to meet the operational needs of NATO and nations.
This approach recognises the benefits of economies of scale, commonality and interoperability deriving from multinational acquisition of military off-the-shelf platforms. The acquisition program also ensures a smooth transition from the existing capability across other lines of development and into the future.
At the North Atlantic Council (NAC), Stacy Cummings, NSPA general manager, said: “This announcement marks a significant milestone in NATO’s ongoing efforts to enhance its readiness and capabilities in the years to come. NSPA’s acquisition strategy of a sole source, FMS, multinational solution is set to deliver a range of benefits that will bolster the alliance’s ability to respond to evolving security challenges.”
NSPA, along with NATO and national experts, conducted a rigorous assessment process, assessing the industry’s responses to requests for information (RFI) and price and availability (P&A), as well as the capabilities of firms identified on the NSPA Source File, this included defence industry research, including comparable AEW&C acquisition programs in Australia, South Korea, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, added: “Surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft are crucial for NATO’s collective defence, and I welcome allies’ commitment to investing in high-end capabilities. By pooling resources, allies can buy and operate major assets collectively that would be too expensive for individual countries to purchase. This investment in state-of-the-art technology shows the strength of trans-Atlantic defence cooperation as we continue to adapt to a more unstable world.”
A Boeing spokesperson welcomed the announcement of the selection, saying: “We appreciate the confidence from the NSPA and participating NATO nations in the proven capabilities and interoperability benefits of the E-7 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft. We stand ready to support this foreign military sale and deliver this exceptional capability that will enhance NATO’s readiness.”
Following this assessment, the Support Partnership Nations, including Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, and the United States, and NSPA concluded that the Boeing E-7A AEW&C Wedgetail is the only known system currently capable of fulfilling the strategic commands’ essential operational requirements and key performance parameters and available for delivery within the time frame required.
This announcement comes following a decision by the US Air Force in early 2023 to acquire a fleet of E-7A Wedgetail with an initial contract worth US$1.7 billion and a UK decision in 2018 to acquire their own fleet of E-7A Wedgetails.
NATO expects that the Wedgetail will reach initial operational capability (IOC) in 2031. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) is NATO’s lead organisation for multinational acquisition, support and sustainment in all domains.
NSPA’s headquarters is in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, with main operational centres in France, Hungary and Italy. The agency employs over 1,500 staff and engages over 500 contractors worldwide.
Boeing’s E-7A Wedgetail was developed for the Royal Australian Air Force, with the first two aircraft delivered in late 2009 following a series of delays through the development process. Wedgetail provides Australia with the most advanced airspace battle management capabilities in the world with the capacity to coordinate a joint air, sea and land battle in real time, significantly increasing the effectiveness of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
The Royal Australian Air Force operates six E-7A Wedgetail aircraft based at RAAF Base Williamtown near Newcastle.
The Wedgetail combines long-range surveillance radar, secondary radar and tactical/strategic voice and data communications systems to provide an airborne early warning and control platform. During a standard mission, the E-7A Wedgetail can cover more than 4 million square kilometres, an area the size of Western Australia or the Northern Territory. It is capable of unlimited long-range deployment with in-flight refuelling.
