The anticipated flypast of the Royal Air Force’s new E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning aircraft at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) has been cancelled due to technical issues, according to individuals in attendance at RAF Fairford.
The E-7 was expected to make a high-profile appearance during the weekend’s flying programme as part of ongoing efforts to demonstrate progress in the delayed and politically contentious programme. The aircraft represents a critical element of the RAF’s future air command and control capability, intended to replace the now-retired E-3D Sentry fleet.
While no official statement has yet been released by the Ministry of Defence or the RAF, multiple sources present at RIAT confirmed that the aircraft will not fly as scheduled. It remains unclear whether the issue is airframe-specific or symptomatic of broader integration or systems concerns.
The Wedgetail had been due to perform a flypast to mark its increasing visibility in upcoming RAF service.
The cancellation is likely to raise further questions about the timeline and reliability of the E-7 programme, which has already faced cost scrutiny, capability gap concerns, and debates around the reduction from five to three airframes. During a House of Commons debate earlier this week, MPs expressed frustration over persistent delays and a perceived lack of transparency regarding delivery milestones.
The cancellation at RIAT is a symbolic blow to that message, particularly given the show’s importance as a showcase for allied air power and public engagement.
Further details may emerge during the weekend, with senior RAF officials expected to speak at related industry and capability briefings.
Different day same old shit.
Brand new extremely technical aircraft go wrong. Nothing new. Its not in service. Its undergoing trials. Shame it won’t make It to RIAT. But life goes on. As does getting this aircraft into service.
new? not exactly since it is curently in service with several air forces and has been operational for over a decade
Exactly. It’s the MOD way though. Take what works for everyone else and FUBAR it.
Well, some of us can be negative about this and, yes, the headline is a downer but things go wrong with highly complex systems all the time. RyanAir, EasyJet, BA cancellations all the time. It’s not a great look for a project that’s in the spotlight right now but I dare say any commitment to fly at RIAT by any contributor is caveated with an ‘all being well” statement!
True
A sensible post – you won’t be popular here 😏
New for the RAF. Just because it’s in service with other nations doesn’t make it any less challenging bringing a new type into service.
Are you going this year mate?
Hi M8, We went to RIAT today via Swindon’s Magic Roundabout so shades of the Shackleton AEW MK2 names. E7 massive letdown in front of a huge crowd, but the old NATO E3 turned up and got a round of applause.
You keep on about the effects of the loss of the C130MJ for SF etc, well today we watched a C27J Spartan do a display OMG it’s agile, quiet and can land on a sixpence. I’ve seen dozens of C130 displays but non touched this Italian Airforce one. Loop the Loop followed by a power off stealth approach, powered up just in time for a Touch n Go.
Ah, Rodney mate.
You were the other I was going to ask, as you’d mentioned previously. 👍
Yes, others had suggested the C27.
We shall no doubt “make do” with Atlas.
A bit like using a QEC for patrol duties….yes, it can do it, but did it need to? No.
/facepalm
That’s it, Get the Bulldozers.
Mind you just goes to show with only three ordered it will be a problem in service if one has ‘technical difficulties’!
I do feel the need to share my experience of this incident.
There we were Mrs ABC and myself in a nice area watching the Displays, I just got thinking back about the aged designs of the NATO display aircraft (F16, F18) and the evergreen Red Arrows in their “best in the world” Hawk T1 and realising it’s mainly equipped to fight WW3 circa 1990.
It was a bit of a shock, but we also had Typhoons, Gripen, NH90 (no bits fell off), EH101, Wildcat and quite simply the best display of a pretty big Aicraft I’ve ever seen an Italian C27J Spartan (Dan M sod C130J SF need some of these) so not too bad. But nowt new ☹️
Then the Big announcement (leaked weeks ago), to follow the Red Arrows we were to have the one and only U.K E7 Wedgetail doing a Flypast !
Well the Arrows came and did their usual fantastic display, unfortunately the Tannoy was working and we had to listen to Red 10 commentating to a RIAT audience. He sounded like a hyper active Gerbal on speed trying to get excited about something most of us saw back in 1985.
But stick it out because the E7 is coming, it’s new, it’s fabulous it’s the first time at a RIAT, we got rid of those old ugly, not good enough E3’s today for it.
Then nope it’s broke, so here is an F35B display instead (pretty good if you’ve never seen it hover).
But that’s it and we all head for car parks !
So now the Drum Roll Please, what’s this? It’s one of those Old NATO not good enough E3 doing a flypast, quick wing over and lands ready for tomorrows display.
If an old Aircraft could just raise its middle finger tat old plane would have done as it moved serenely down the flight line.
Moral is don’t gaps vital capability the replacement actually works.
Probably no hotel rooms left in the local area of at least 4*. Can’t have the lads slumming it in only 3* hotels