Pentagon confirms it will continue with the acquisition of E-7 Wedgetails for US Air Force
The Boing E-7 Wedgetail is based on the Boeing 737 Next Generation design. (Photo: Boeing)
The US Pentagon will move forward with the procurement of Boeing E-7 Wedgetails for the US Air Force (USAF). After trying to cancel the programme, the US Department of Defense (DoD) now intends to allocate funds to this effort in its FY2027 budget proposal.
The information was confirmed by the Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, during a recent hearing at the House Committee on Appropriations.
Although the department has not earmarked any money for the E-7 construction in its request for the next fiscal year, Hegseth claimed to have sent a budget amendment to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), adding
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
How the UK’s New Medium Helicopter award strengthens AW149’s European prospects
The UK advanced its long-delayed New Medium Helicopter programme in March with a £1 billion order for 23 Leonardo AW149s. While the deal could provide a foundation for further UK and European export orders, funding pressures and previous delays continue to cloud the programme’s future.
-
UK air focus: Drone spending trails European frontline states despite $10.46 billion valuation
Despite the UK having the third-largest military UAV market in Europe, the country appears to be underinvesting in the capability relative to the size of its economy, particularly when compared with Baltic and eastern European states.
-
Proteus: Forging the future of autonomous rotorcraft
As the home of British helicopters, Leonardo has worked with the UK Ministry of Defence for over a decade to advance technologies underpinning uncrewed rotorcraft. Today, in partnership with UK Defence Innovation and the Royal Navy, Leonardo is spearheading the next step in that journey: from remotely piloted technologies to fully autonomous systems.
-
US Air Force to add new capabilities to its in-service and future T-7A fleet
As the T-7A programme recovers from delays and rising costs, the USAF is signalling new opportunities in anti-jamming GPS, collision avoidance, advanced flight controls and pilot interface improvements.
-
“Fifth-gen capability without the cost”: how autonomous strike can change the face of air warfare
In Conversation… Armor Harris, Senior Vice President for Aircraft at Shield AI, talks to Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan about why cost-effective autonomous aircraft are a game-changer for air forces worldwide, and the key roles played by VTOL and AI as enabling technologies.