US Air Force Contracts Boeing For 26 E-7 Planes In $1.2B Deal

Boeing Company BA will begin developing two new U.S. variants of the E-7 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft through a $1.2 billion Undefinitized Contract Action.
The E-7 provides a fully integrated, combat-proven, flexible command and control node that delivers multi-domain awareness in the most challenging operational environments.
Stu Voboril, E-7 program vice president and general manager, said, "It is the only advanced aircraft that is capable of meeting the U.S. Air Force's near-term Airborne Early Warning & Control requirement while enabling integration across the joint force."
The E-7 tracks multiple airborne and maritime threats simultaneously with 360-degree coverage via the Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) sensor.
Other E-7 operators include the Royal Australian Air Force, the Republic of Korea Air Force, the Turkish Air Force, and the U.K.'s Royal Air Force.
The U.S. Air Force eyed 26 E-7A AEW&C planes to replace its aging fleet of E-3s, Reuters reports.
The Air Force said the first plane would likely be in service by FY27 and anticipated purchasing an additional 24 by FY32.
RAAF Wing Commander Darren Haynes said Australia had deployed the E-7 for up to 17.3 hours at a stretch in the Middle East, which included two aerial refuelings.
The aircraft typically has 12 to 13 people on board, including the pilots.
U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy personnel have already embedded with the RAAF on the E-7, said Haynes, who once served on the E-3 and said the E-7 had represented a "fundamental shift" in capability.
Price Action: BA shares traded higher by 0.47% at $202.49 premarket on the last check Wednesday.

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