BAE Systems Australia secures deal to maintain RAAF's E-7A Wedgetail aircraft fleet
An RAAF E-7A Wedgetail aircraft. (Photo: Australian DoD)
BAE Systems Australia has secured a two-year contract extension to sustain the electronic warfare systems of the RAAF's E-7A Wedgetail aircraft.
BAE Systems Australia will provide EW systems support for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) fleet of E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft through to 2028 after a two-year extension to its existing contract.
Under the agreement, BAE Systems will sustain the Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and EW Self-Protection (EWSP) systems for Boeing Defence Australia under the Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) programme.
The company has been providing sustainment support for the Wedgetail fleet since its introduction into service in 2011 and has played a key role in ensuring the aircraft’s availability and mission readiness.
Related Articles
Australia declares Wedgetail fully operational
Australia to upgrade E-7A Wedgetail
Boeing signs new E-7A Wedgetail agreement
BAE Systems will provide engineering, field services, supply, maintenance and management support for the ESM and EWSP systems on the RAAF’s fleet of six E-7A Wedgetail aircraft at RAAF Base Edinburgh from its Edinburgh Parks facility.
The platform incorporates the Northrop Grumman Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array radar, and its communications can include HF, VHF/UHF, UHF and Link 11/16 (the customer selects encryption capability). Two CFM International CFM56-7B27A turbofan engines power it.
It is more than a decade since these aircraft entered service, but the type has received a boost in longevity in recent years, with the UK RAF ordering three in 2019, but this may yet be expanded to five, and USAF variants are expected to enter service in 2027, with a potential order of 24.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![Clavister contracted to supply cyber protection for CV90s]()
Clavister contracted to supply cyber protection for CV90s
Clavister CyberArmour, an integrated defence cybersecurity system, will be used on BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 platform in deployments with a Scandinavian country, as well as in an eastern European nation.
-
![Lockheed Martin completes tactical satellite demonstration and prepares for launch]()
Lockheed Martin completes tactical satellite demonstration and prepares for launch
The tactical satellite (TacSat) is an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) system and will participate in exercises in 2025.
-
![AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family]()
AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
-
![BAE Systems gets go-ahead for second phase of mission communications programme]()
BAE Systems gets go-ahead for second phase of mission communications programme
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
-
![Just Released: Space Technology Report]()
Just Released: Space Technology Report
Why space is an essential part of modern military capabilities
-
![Work-from-home warfare: the power of mixed reality]()
Work-from-home warfare: the power of mixed reality
Defence-secure mixed reality headsets can save hours, or even weeks, of travel time to fix defunct equipment or get subject experts effectively “on-site” where they are needed.
