Boeing has successfully conducted the first flight of the United Kingdom’s E-7 Wedgetail aircraft, marking a significant milestone for the Royal Air Force (RAF) programme.
A Boeing flight-test crew performed functional checks during the inaugural flight from Birmingham Airport, as part of the aircraft’s test and evaluation phase.
Stu Voboril, Boeing vice president and E-7 program manager, said the flight was an important step in ensuring the E-7 delivers on promised capabilities.
“Our team is committed to ensuring the E-7 delivers the safety, quality, and capabilities we’ve promised to our customer as we prepare for delivery of the UK’s first E-7 Wedgetail to the RAF,” Mr Voboril said.
The aircraft is one of three 737 NG planes undergoing modification in Birmingham by a team of over 100 people at STS Aviation Services.
RAF Group Captain Richard Osselton praised the milestone as representing outstanding effort from all parties involved in the programme.
The E-7 Wedgetail will provide the RAF with advanced Airborne Early Warning and Control capabilities, including long-range detection and tracking of multiple airborne and maritime threats.
Maria Laine, president of Boeing UK, Ireland and the Nordics, highlighted the company’s commitment to delivering the crucial capability to support UK national security.
“We are committed to delivering this crucial capability to support the UK’s national security and contribute toward regional stability,” Ms Laine said.
The future UK E-7 fleet will operate from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, where infrastructure facilities are nearing completion.
Boeing is also building E-7 aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, while Australia, South Korea and Turkey currently operate the platform.
The aircraft will undergo further flight tests and evaluation before receiving its RAF livery later this autumn.
