Certain items within the E-7 Wedgetail programme required re-design and consequently re-certification, with further detail on specific military systems and certification activities withheld for reasons of operational security and commercial sensitivity, according to an answer given in Parliament.
Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative member for Huntingdon, asked what equipment within the programme has required re-design and what has required re-certification, following an answer given on 8 September.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard said: “The E-7 Wedgetail programme is a complex military aircraft acquisition programme involving the integration and certification of mission systems, communications equipment, aircraft protection systems and airworthiness-related modifications.
“Within the programme life-cycle, certain items required re-design. In accordance with international certification practice, items that are re-designed are required to undergo re-certification. For reasons of operational security and commercial sensitivity, further details on specific military systems or certification activities cannot be disclosed.”
Wedgetail gives Britain its airborne early warning and control capability, carrying the Northrop Grumman Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array radar on a converted Boeing 737 airframe, and it replaces the Sentry fleet retired in 2021. Three aircraft are being delivered against an original plan for five, with the reduction taken in the 2021 defence command paper.
The first aircraft arrived at RAF Lossiemouth in May, where 8 Squadron operates the type, after a conversion and modification programme that ran years beyond its original schedule. Part of the work was done at Birmingham before Boeing took the aircraft back for mission system installation.
Re-design inside a conversion programme usually means something that worked on the drawing board did not survive contact with the airframe, and each change pulls certification back to the start for the affected system. Airworthiness certification for a military aircraft carrying a radar of that size involves structural, electromagnetic and safety cases that interact with one another, so a change in one can force revalidation in another.
The three-aircraft fleet has been the subject of sustained argument, since generating continuous coverage from three airframes with maintenance and training to absorb is difficult, and this publication reported that ministers have signalled support for expanding the fleet. Obsolescence has been raised as a further concern, with components specified early in the programme reaching end of life before the aircraft entered service, which is a common consequence of a long conversion schedule.
I would love to see the RAF get another one or two E-7, but I can see the cost is high. Each of the 3 RAF E-7 will cost £750m each. USAF benefits from the modernisation work for the RAF planes, but even the USAF is being quoted $725m each E-7.
In all honesty it’s cheap. Look at the India v Pakistan short war a year or so ago. One side having awacs made the difference in n respect of the losses. Typhoons and f35b are greak but not if they don’t know where to head.
I read that the Australians rate the platform and it has electronic attack and jamming capability as well as ELINT function. Is that Aus specific or would it provide similar roles for us to complement Rivet joint and P8?
For the cost you would hope so .
Australia is the lead customer for Wedgetail, they also do most of and trial the development work. The UK’s Wedgetails have been built to the latest Australian standard.
So we have an aircraft that is in use by two other nations including one of our 5 eyes partners? Is it not in the realms of common sense to have actually checked the equipment was still certified for use and if it required re design before buying it and fitting it?
Well done MOD Procurement, well done indeed its only public money after all.
They couldn’t organise the duty watch on a two man submarine with 50% leave
ROOT AND BRANCH reorganisation required
So well put.Hiding behind security concerns when in reality heads should roll for utter incompetence.
As for fleet size, tire is a ruddy joke. We bought 5 radars etc so we should have a 5 ac fleet.
Now getting started apparently there was no life left in the ““E3Ds they replace yet another nations continues to use these ac. Utter shambles again.
This is common for equipment fitted to aircraft over the aircraft’s build duration. Especially where obsolescence is involved, where a manufacturer builds a more up to date variant that has additional features. So no longer comes under the fit, form or function criteria. Therefore will requiring recertifying.
So, if say it was core equipment supplied as is by the manufacturer then why couldn’t have we asked the Australians? Their aircraft are fully operational and fully updated according to their RAAF website. It seems they dont suffer with the same issues we do.
Funny old thing
There should have been a far larger fleet of these.. essentially not just for the UK, but if the RN and RAF are going to win a fight with Russia in the high north they needed these as well.
For resilience there should have been 2 squadrons in 2 separate bases, one focused on high north deployment and supporting the RN/F35 squadrons as they deploy and 1 for defence of the UK… 3 airframes each.
That is if a country is serious about Defence mate.
We aren’t, only the soundbites and jobs created.
I always live in hope that at some point sense takes over..
Should have gone with SAABs offer which most of NATO will now be using and therefore we would have benefited greatly and the fit was more multi role too with a dedicated maritime radar fitted thus filling another gapped role. Ah well the clowns of the MOD and the woke run military are truly doing their bit to let the UK fall………………………..
The Saab option has limitations related to the aircraft endurance and crew size as well as sensors..
To be honest it’s a second class option.
That’s true, but a far cheaper aircraft could have made of a fleet of 7 or 8….
That said, I will guarantee that had the MoD selected the SAAB option, we would probably only have ordered 3 anyway.
The reality is their simply wasn’t enough money in the pot for 5 E7’s, so 2 were cut.
You can’t have a vast army of Pipsters and an Armed forces, this government have clearly made their choices.
Let’s see what the next one does…
Maybe exactly what is not needed , however could we team up with Canada and maybe Australia so as to add to our E-7 few with Nothern specials from Saab and incorporate some of the Aussie over the horizon technology? So that the high north Saabs could fly out of Canada Be stationed there serviced there etc etc etc….
Just an idea after a couple of G&Ts