E-7A
Funds the E-7A program. The E-7A program is intended to replace the unsustainable E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). The E-3 AWACS, first fielded in the 1970s, is at the end of its service life, and costly to maintain. The E-7A will serve as the USAF's principal airborne platform for airborne command and control and airborne moving target indicator, providing a reliable, persistent critical node in the long-range kill chain for the Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC). The E-7A is intended to provide increased capabilities to the USAF and the Joint Services to include the ability to detect and track highly maneuverable, small radar cross-section airborne targets (modern and emerging threats), the ability to real-time process and create a precise air picture, and the ability to battle manage (e.g. command and control) under a wide range of operational conditions. The E-7A is a highly modified Airborne Battle Management and Command and Control aircraft integrating a Boeing 737-700 Next Generation (737NG) airframe with a reinforced fuselage Section 46, a Northrop Grumman Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) Radar mounted on the aircraft's Section 46, and two 180-kVA generators added to commercial CFM-56 engines mounted beneath each wing. The E-7A will provide a reliable, operationally available, maintainable, and sustainable capability. E-7A RDT&E efforts include: end item completion and component modification for aircraft to support test and evaluation; hardware and software modernization development efforts to ensure compliance with US cybersecurity and program protection standards; development efforts to ensure navigation and communication systems comply with GPS M-Code and Narrowband SATCOM mandates; development efforts to design and build flight planning terminals, deployable mission support systems, and mission crew trainers; design and build-out contractor and government System Integration Laboratories supporting development, integration, and test activities; and analysis and to support future requirements and airworthiness certification. E-7A Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C2ISR): C2ISR system improvements investigate and develop future capabilities of the E-7 weapon system.
FY2026 to FY2027 change The FY 2027 President's Budget does not include funding for the E-7 Wedgetail.
FY2026 plans — current year Continuing Rapid Prototyping including the following tasks: - continue prototyping end items and modification components to support test and evaluation - hardware and software modernization development efforts to ensure compliance with US cybersecurity and program protection standards - development efforts to ensure navigation and communication systems comply with GPS M-Code and Narrowband SATCOM mandates - design and build flight planning terminals, deployable mission support systems, and mission crew and maintenance trainers - design and build-out contractor and government System Integration Laboratories supporting development, integration, and test activities - provide analysis and…
FY2026 to FY2027 change The FY 2027 President's Budget does not include funding for the E-7 Wedgetail.
FY2026 plans — current year Conduct studies and analysis such as: - Study Block 1 E-7 improvements and ability to build on and or retrofit onto E-7A Block 0 configuration. - Study known and future diminishing manufacturing sources (DMS), develop solutions, and integrate on E-7A.