The Ministry of Defence has announced that Britain will help build military aircraft for the United States for the first time in more than fifty years, under a new contract with Boeing.
The deal will create over 150 new jobs in Birmingham and sustain a further 190 across the UK. It will see two Boeing 737 passenger aircraft converted into prototype E-7A Wedgetail early-warning surveillance aircraft for the US Air Force. The MoD said the contract will generate more than £36 million for the UK economy.
Defence Secretary John Healey stated: “The relationship between the UK and US has never been stronger, and this new deal with Boeing creates and supports hundreds of jobs across the UK – making defence an engine for growth and strengthening our collective security.”
The UK has already ordered three Wedgetail aircraft for the Royal Air Force, scheduled to enter service in 2026. The E-7’s advanced radar and sensors are designed to detect hostile aircraft, missiles, or drones at ranges over 300 miles.
The programme currently supports 190 jobs in Britain, with 130 in Birmingham. Boeing’s expansion will add the new roles as work begins on the two US aircraft. More than 40 UK-based suppliers are already involved, including firms supporting new facilities at RAF Lossiemouth.
According to the MoD, the announcement follows the launch of the Defence Industrial Strategy, which earmarked £250 million for new growth deals and £182 million for skills programmes.
The E-7 Wedgetail fleet will serve both UK and US forces, with the MoD emphasising that shared systems will improve interoperability while strengthening the transatlantic defence partnership.
Now we need the MOD to restore the two airframes they cut, it’s a perfect opportunity to do so. Consider that the SDR recommend they do so as well they have no excuse at this point.
It’s been a typical MOD cock up regarding the programme, but the hard bit is now done, all they need to do is finish building them.
Imagine this deal puts paid to that. Presume this uses the 4th and 5th radar system we original purchased and paid for. Was hoping they could turn into a quick win to boost capacity.
Basically sold to the USAF under the guise of “building airplanes for the USAF”.
Exactly 👍.
Has there been any details on that, I would assume the US have chosen us to build them not because we already have the radars, but because the only active production line is in the UK.
Not even the US could justify getting a whole production line up and going for just two airframes they might not want to follow up on. This is also why I hope the NATO order comes through because it’s almost guaranteed they are built in the UK.
The US radars and planes will be different from ours so no this will not prevent the UK from ordering two more E7’s.
That’s the chances of using the 4th and 5th radars to increase the RAF fleet scuppered then!
I thought the Trump Admin killed off the procurement of Wedgetails for the USAF and were going with Hawkeye’s?
Congress restored the funding for E7 last month.
Trump said today at the press conference UK going raise defence spending to 5%. .Sorry President Trump no way is this Starmer government got any intention of doing that . May of been wise to Get that one in writing . 🤔
It’s defence and resilience spending as outlined by NATO that has a 5% target.
The US spends no where near 5% on defence
To be fair to the US, when your spending close to a Trillion USD on defence already, what’s the point in going further at that point…
So the 2 radar set we have knocking about are now to be used for US airframes. That about sums it up.