NATO’s effort to replace its ageing E-3A Sentry fleet has been upended after the United States pulled out of the alliance’s planned purchase of up to six Boeing E-7 Wedgetails, leaving the programme without a strategic or financial anchor, the UK Defence Journal understands.
The Dutch Ministry of Defence confirmed that Washington withdrew from the AWACS replacement effort in July, prompting the Netherlands and several European partners to abandon the joint plan.
In a statement, The Hague said the remaining participants are now exploring alternative options and potential new partners, with the goal of fielding a successor capability before the current fleet reaches its 2035 end of life.
Dutch State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman said the move highlighted a broader lesson for European airpower. “The withdrawal by the US in addition shows the importance of investing as much as possible in the European industry,” he stated. He added that the priority remains to introduce “other, quieter aircraft” before the E-3As retire, given long standing noise complaints from communities around Geilenkirchen Air Base.
The US decision followed growing concerns inside the Pentagon about escalating Wedgetail costs, delays and survivability in high threat environments. In July, the Department of Defense confirmed it was cancelling its own E-7 acquisition and shifting investment toward space based surveillance and additional E-2D Hawkeye aircraft.
NATO’s 14-strong E-3A fleet, operated from Geilenkirchen, provides the alliance’s core airborne early warning and battle management capability. The system is essential for monitoring airspace along NATO’s eastern flank and directing complex air operations. With the platform approaching obsolescence, momentum had been building for a collective replacement decision.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, speaking at Geilenkirchen during a visit to Joint Force Command Brunssum, said the alliance’s replacement process continues despite the setback. “I will do everything to make sure that we speed up that process. It is important that we speed it up,” he told reporters.
The Dutch MoD stressed that AWACS aircraft remain critical to NATO operations. With the E-7 option no longer viable at alliance level, capitals must now decide whether to pursue national buys, develop a joint European design, or lean more heavily on space based and ground based surveillance.
The specifications of the E-7, which had been under consideration, include a 737 based airframe, CFM56 engines, a range of roughly 4,000 miles, and Northrop Grumman’s MESA radar. Whether these performance characteristics will shape the next phase of NATO’s search remains uncertain.
I understand that we need to replace the E-3, and we have been contracted to build two in the UK for the US, but in the words of Johnny Rotten, “Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?”
I don’t, I actually think it’s more important than ever the UK pushes on with E7 and increases the fleet. These aircraft will dominate any European air and ground war against Russia and controlling them means the UK will control that fight.
That’s lot of diplomatic and military weight the UK buys for a few billion. These are easily the most important element of any UK homeland defence as well. We should aim for 7 as a minimum now NATO is out.
NATO is pulling out because the USA pulled out. As has been made very very clear by the USAF and Congress the US didn’t pull out because there is anything wrong with the plane they pulled out because some idiot put a Fox News host with a drinking problem in charge of the Pentagon and he read it on a blog somewhere that AWACS is outdated.
Shades of Dale Browns Silver Tower. I cannot see the logic of space based. You would need a lot of them to cover the globe to ensure one is in the right place, they are almost impossible to defend. An anti sat will easily be the first shot fired by an adversary.
They haven’t even begun to design it.
It is a crazy decision
This is a spanner in the works 🔧 🤔
Any Idea where we store the Bull Dozers used to recycle these things ?
Have to hope the US congress can give the SecDef a good slapping and make the US order more and more E-7, hopfully that gives NATO the chance to reconsider.
There’s always the possibility that the US will end up with E-7s, but NATO won’t.
What does that mean for our aircraft?
Have we just pissed a few billion up the wall again for nothing?
If so, as usual, the MIC is rubbing it’s hands together, billions pocketed, while the military goes without.
Yes?
The waste is very concerning, and the lack of investment in our AWACS fleet meant they had to go before a replacement was available! Not the first time the UK Government has carried out similar tactics. I can smell Nimrod all over again and with similar results.
I don’t see why this should impact our E7 buy. NATO already integrates multiple different awacs, E7s from Turkey, Greek EMB145, Italian CAEW.
We need AEW&C. Not a waste at all.
Anybody else thinking that if the UK took over the 2 to be converted here, we would have total 5 for the RAF as originally planned?
Now, where are the extra 2 radar systems we ordered??
Probably being bolted to the 2 USAF aircraft 🙄
Well a good day for Saab
It doesn’t make sense, the us did not build the RAAF wedgetails or our, Saab version not quite the same spec. Why design from scratch that at least 15 years away.
I’m sure Boeing and Lockheed Martin would be more than happy to accommodate an order of this magnitude