Since the Vietnam War, the United States Air Force (USAF) and the air forces of other friendly nations have relied on the Boeing E-3 Sentry to be their eyes in the sky. Derived from the Boeing 707 passenger jet, the Boeing E-3 Sentry was designed to be an Airborne Warning and Control System (AEW&C) aircraft. Easily recognizable thanks to its distinctive rotating radar dome above the fuselage, the plane was getting a little old in the teeth and needed a replacement.
Photo: USAF
Production of the Boeing E-3 Sentry ended in 1992 after 62 aircraft had been built. Having studied what it was looking for in an advanced early warning and surveillance aircraft, the Australian government requested a proposal (RFP). Intended to be for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the request was named “Project Wedgetail” after an indigenous eagle.
The Boeing 737 AEW&C is a modified 737-700ER
In 1999, Boeing was awarded the contract for four aircraft with an option to purchase a further three. Based on the Boeing C-40 Clipper used to transport cargo and passengers for the military, the new AWACS aircraft will be a modified Boeing 737-700ER.
Unlike the Boeing E-3 Sentry and its rotating radar dome, the Boeing 737 AEW&C features a fixed Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar system. Designed for minimal aerodynamic effect, the radar provides fighter control along with simultaneous air and sea search capabilities.
The Boeing 737NG has proved to be very reliable
Since it first appeared in 1993, the Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft line has proved highly reliable. The critical component of the Boeing 737 AEW&Cs is its Northrop Grumman MESA radar system. From the very start, the MESA system was built to be adaptable and upgradeable, ensuring that it remains a state-of-the-art radar system.
The 737 platform itself has proven exceptionally adaptable, with multiple variations. However, the key component of the AEW&C system is its OMS (Open Mission Systems) architecture, which was built from the beginning to be adaptable, upgradable, and accepting other integrated systems or future upgrades.
When speaking about the aircraft on its company website, Boeing said,
“The future battlespace will be more complex, dynamic, and unconventional. Through its open systems architecture and agile software development, the E-7 provides rapid, affordable capability growth to remain relevant as threats evolve. Designed for continuous updates, the E-7 enables the customer to use either Boeing or third-party software to maximize the warfighter’s flexibility to rapidly upgrade or field new capabilities regardless of vendor.”
Features of the Boeing 737 AEW&C include:
- The ability to first detect and engage: The Boeing E-7 features the most advanced moving target tracking system on any military aircraft.
- Be a joint force enabler: The Boeing E-7 can provide out-of-sight connectivity to NATO forces in contested battlefields.
- Offer air domain awareness: With its all-seeing MESA radar, the Boeing E-7 can gather high-quality data to help give NATO an advantage over combatants.
A Boeing 737 AEW&C was used to search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
The first two Boeing 737 AEW&Cs were delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on November 26, 2009. The aircraft’s first operational sortie took place on April 1, 2014, helping to control maritime search patrols looking for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. In October of the same year, the aircraft was used in support of coalition forces fighting the Islamic State in Iraq.
Since entering service with the RAAF, the Boeing 737 AEW&C has proved to be a competent AEW&C aircraft and has now been ordered by the air forces of Turkey, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. The United States Air Force (USAF) also announced that it will use the Boeing 737 AEW&C to replace its aging Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft starting in 2027.
Image: Boeing
Sources: Boeing