The RAF’s E-7 Wedgetail early warning programme has moved into its flight test phase, with the first aircraft now undergoing trials at RAF Lossiemouth, a second due to follow soon and a third still in modification, the Ministry of Defence has said.
The update was provided by the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard, in response to a written question from the Labour MP for North Durham, Luke Akehurst, who had asked about the status of the RAF E-7 Wedgetail programme.
Pollard said that at the end of May 2026 the first aircraft had arrived at RAF Lossiemouth, where it would undergo “its full ground and flight test programme”. He said the second aircraft was “due to commence test activities soon”, and that “modification of aircraft three continues at STS Aviation in Birmingham”.
On support and infrastructure, the minister said the “sustainment contract was signed in March”, with activity now under way to ensure support systems and resources were available once the aircraft were in service. He added that the “infrastructure programme at RAF Lossiemouth is complete”, with “facilities fully delivered and training devices installed to enable force generation”.
The E-7 Wedgetail is a Boeing 737-based aircraft fitted with a powerful electronically scanned radar that lets it detect and track aircraft and other targets over great distances, directing fighters and coordinating the air battle in a role known as airborne early warning and control. It is intended to restore the capability the RAF lost when it retired its ageing E-3D Sentry fleet in 2021, leaving a gap in one of the most critical enablers in modern air operations.
Absolutely criminal that this country was left with a sovereignty capability gap. Note the word sovereignty, I know in almost all cases our allies would provide cover, we just should not be relying on our allies all of the time.
No different to when they scrapped the Nimrod, and we waited years for Posidon to come along. Sold/scrapped all the Harriers just as we were getting two aircraft carriers leaving nothing to put on them, till the F35B’s came into service, and that’s just a couple of examples of how successive governments have left us exposed over the years.
The joys of the 2010 Camerloon cuts that really came home to roost.
Harrier had to go to try and keep Tonka.
Obvs Tonka then went and the Harrier gap made regenerating fixed wing skills with F35B all the harder.
Nimrod was cancelled because it was a £3.8 billion ( £6 billion in todays terms ) shambles and there were still considerable issues with it’s development, estimated to cost another £1 billion plus. The number of aircraft planned was cut in 2008 from 22 to 9 making it even more expensive. The Ninrod R1 had also been cancelled in 2008 in favour of Rivet Joint. Discussions on Poseidon started in 2011 and they were ordered in 2015/16.
Sorry, how long have these been in service with Australia?
approx 36 metres.