US Air Force requests a business case analysis for fleet of E-7A aircraft

The acquisition of new E-7 Wedgetail radar aircraft by the Air Force may not be completely dead, according to contract documents released Tuesday.

In June, the U.S. Air Force canceled plans to acquire new E-7A Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing due to significant delays and cost increases.

“The Department is canceling the E-7 Wedgetail program due to significant delays with cost increases from $588 million to $724 million for aircraft and survivability concerns in this contested environment, while investing in alternate solutions, including space-based capabilities and adding additional E-2D aircraft,” a senior military official told reporters in June.

Meanwhile, a Request for Information (RFI) document released this week shows the Air Force is now requesting a Product Support Business Case Analysis (PS-BCA) to be performed concerning the E-7As.

According to the RFI, the Department of the Air Force would acquire the E-7A aircraft to replace a portion of the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System fleet.

“The E-7A will provide critical airborne early warning, surveillance, and battle management capabilities. To ensure optimal fleet readiness and long-term affordability, the E-3/E-7A SPO is seeking to identify sources capable of performing a comprehensive Product Support Business Case Analysis,” the Air Force said in the RFI.

“The objective of this BCA is to identify the most effective and efficient product support strategy for the E-7A fleet throughout its planned life cycle. The PS-BCA will need to accommodate a fleet of at least two but possibly up to 26 aircraft. The analysis will inform the Air Force’s decision-making process for structuring the E-7A’s sustainment enterprise.” The BCA will include costs, benefits, and risks of different product support strategies for the E-7A aircraft.

The Air Force made clear that the BCA RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes; it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future.

Companies interested in supporting the BCA request have until May 11 to respond to the Air Force E-7A System Program Office.

Australia Sends E-7A Wedgetail to Persian Gulf

The Iranian conflict in the Middle East began just over a week ago and Iran's reprisal attacks continue to escalate. Twelve countries across the region, from Cyprus through to the Gulf, are continuing to be targeted by Iran. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) alone has been forced to shoot down over 1,500 rockets and drones.

In response to a request from the UAE, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Tuesday, “Australia will deploy an E-7A Wedgetail, to the Gulf to help protect and defend Australians and other civilians. The Wedgetail will provide long-range reconnaissance capability, which will help to protect and secure the airspace above the Gulf. The Wedgetail and supporting Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed for an initial four weeks in support of the collective self-defense of Gulf nations.”

The E-7 Wedgetail “is one of the leading capabilities in the world in terms of airborne long-range reconnaissance and command,” said Richard Marles, Australia’s deputy prime minister. “We are one of the leading nations in the use of the E-7. What this aircraft will be doing is very similar to the role that it has played in recent times from Poland in respect of the defense of Ukraine. There will be in the order of 85 personnel who will go with this airframe and that's the normal crew. The airframe will be leaving Australia today and the expectation is that it will be in the region in the middle of the week and operational by the end of the week.”

Prime Minister Albanese stated there are more than 20,000 Australian lives in the UAE.