조기경보기 나토, 차기 조기경보기로 E-7A 선택

[위종민]

나토가 E-3A를 대체하기 위한 나토 조기경보기로 E-7A를 선택했다고 11월 5일 발표했습니다. 6대 구매가 승인됐고 2031년부터 운용될 예정이라고 합니다. 

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/nato-chooses-boeing-e-7a-wedgetail-for-next-gen-command-and-control-aircraft

NATO chooses Boeing E-7A Wedgetail for next-gen command and control aircraft

BYCLEMENT CHARPENTREAU

2023-11-15

2 MINUTE READ

U.S. Air Force photo

NATO has officially chosen the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail as the next-generation command and control aircraft.  

This decision, announced on November 15, 2023, comes as NATO’s existing Airborne Warning and Control (AWACS) fleet, comprised of Boeing E-3A aircraft, approaches its retirement. 

The approval for the acquisition of six new E-7A Wedgetail aircraft was granted by a consortium of NATO Allies earlier in the month, marking one of the largest capability purchases in NATO’s history. Production is set to commence in the coming years, with the first aircraft expected to be operational by 2031. 

“By pooling resources, Allies can buy and operate major assets collectively that would be too expensive for individual countries to purchase,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated. “This investment in state-of-the-art technology shows the strength of transatlantic defense cooperation as we continue to adapt to a more unstable world.” 

The E-7A Wedgetail is an advanced airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft developed by Boeing. It is based on the Boeing 737-700 airframe and equipped with a radar system mounted on the top of its fuselage. Unlike the rotodome of its predecessor, the radome of the Wedgetail is fixed. 

The Wedgetail was originally developed for the Royal Australian Air Force. Among NATO allies, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Turkey either currently operate the Wedgetail or have plans to do so. Boeing claims that the transition from the E-3 Sentry to the E-7A Wedgetail is relatively seamless thanks to the similarity in user interfaces across both platforms.  

NATO has operated the Boeing E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft since the 1980s. The current NATO AWACS fleet is composed of 14 E-3A aircraft based in NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany. The Wedgetail is expected to operate from the same location. 

The acquisition of the E-7A Wedgetail is part of NATO’s broader Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) program from the mid-2030s, ensuring NATO’s continued adaptation to evolving security challenges. Launched in 2016, the program aims to study and develop NATO surveillance capabilities and may include a combination of manned and unmanned air, ground, maritime, and space systems that could work together and share information.   

[엽군]

후훟... 호주, 터키, 우리에 이어 B 사에 피 빨리는 호구가 드디어 B 사가 그리던 대로 20년 만에 큰 바구니에 들어오는군요.