UK boosts defence with E‑7 Wedgetail but faces challenges
Later this year, the United Kingdom will commission its first E-7 Wedgetail—an advanced AWACS aircraft. However, analysts point out that to cut costs, London reduced its order to just three of these aircraft several years ago. Their significance has dramatically increased following Russia's aggression in Ukraine.
AWACS are airborne early warning and control aircraft. They provide significant capabilities to the forces that possess them, allowing for much more effective reconnaissance than relying solely on ground-based radars. The role of AWACS has also been demonstrated in the war in Ukraine, with such aircraft being referred to as the "eyes of the Russian air force."
E-7 Wedgetail in service in the United Kingdom
The E-7 Wedgetail aircraft will replace the E-3 Sentry in the UK Air Force, which has already retired. Analysts at Defense Express recall that in 2019, London signed a contract for five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft. However, under the Integrated Review 2021, this number was reduced to three. This reduction allowed for decreased expenditures, as AWACS aircraft are among the more expensive designs used by the military.
On the other hand, in the current geopolitical situation, each AWACS is considered equipment "worth its weight in gold." Only a dozen or so of these aircraft are available throughout NATO, with the vast majority belonging to the US. The first E-7 Wedgetail is expected to be received by the British Air Force in December 2025. According to current plans, all three will serve until 2042.
E-7 Wedgetail: What kind of aircraft is it?
Analysts at Defense Express point out that having three instead of five AWACS aircraft will significantly limit the United Kingdom's capabilities. Due to such cost-saving measures, the UK cannot claim complete independence from NATO regarding air reconnaissance. They also note that there may be concerns about the equipment because the British E-7 Wedgetail has not obtained access to Skynet satellites. Instead, the UK will rely on the Iridium network.
"It has not yet been disclosed how much such a technical nuance may slow down the speed of data transmission from British AWACS aircraft to end users," write the analysts.
The E-7 Wedgetail aircraft currently serves in the US, Australia, South Korea, and Turkey air forces. They are significantly lighter than the E-3 Sentry, featuring a flat and fixed radome without the heavy mechanism responsible for rotation and stabilization. The MESA (Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array) provides 360-degree observation of airspace and the ground or water surface, with a range of even 595 kilometres.
