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NATO Halts E-7 Wedgetail Buy After U.S. Pullout

Allies will pursue alternative AWACS solutions to replace aging E-3s by 2035.

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail, operated by No. 2 Squadron based at RAAF Base Williamtown, Australia, flies with a Hawaii Air National Guard F-22 Raptor April 21, 2021, near Oahu, Hawaii. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. John Linzmeier)
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NATO countries are pulling the plug on plans to buy US-made Boeings to replace the alliance's surveillance planes

Overview

  • Announced by the Netherlands on behalf of iAFSC partners, the decision suspends NATO’s 2023 plan to acquire six Boeing E-7s to succeed the E-3A fleet.
  • The U.S. withdrew from the consortium in July, which partners said removed the program’s strategic and financial basis and pushed the group to seek new options and partners.
  • NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the replacement effort continues and pledged to accelerate decisions to keep the capability on track.
  • European-made contenders are expected to be evaluated, with industry highlighting Saab’s GlobalEye and proposals previously floated by L3Harris, Northrop Grumman and Airbus/Dassault.
  • U.S. policy remains split, as the Pentagon moved to curb the E-7 program while Congress this week inserted roughly $200 million for rapid prototyping, underscoring uncertainty around the aircraft’s future.