In a significant move highlighting the tensions between military planning and legislative oversight, the United States Congress has stepped in to rescue Boeing's troubled E-7 Wedgetail airborne radar jet program. This intervention comes directly counter to the Pentagon's earlier decision to cancel the contract due to severe delays and a ballooning price tag.
From Near-Cancellation to Congressional Lifeline
The future of the advanced surveillance aircraft looked bleak earlier this year. The U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to terminate the contract for two prototype E-7 Wedgetail jets, citing the program's significant setbacks. The cost for each aircraft had skyrocketed to a staggering $724 million, a sharp increase from the approximately $588 million estimated in the program's initial stages.
However, Congress wielded its budgetary power to reverse this decision. The recently enacted $901 billion defense policy package explicitly blocks the Pentagon from ending the Wedgetail contract. Furthermore, Senate lawmakers allocated an additional $847 million in funding specifically for the two prototypes, ensuring the program's immediate survival, though its long-term trajectory remains a subject of debate.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously defended the cancellation, stating in a June House committee hearing that the military must make tough choices on systems that may not provide an advantage in future conflicts. He suggested that emerging space-based surveillance technologies could soon surpass some traditional airborne capabilities.
The Wedgetail's Capabilities and Turbulent History
The E-7 Wedgetail is designed as a formidable mobile battle station and early-warning platform. Based on a modified Boeing 737 NG commercial airframe, it features a distinctive rectangular radar array from Northrop Grumman mounted on its fuselage. This system allows it to scan for airborne and maritime threats hundreds of miles away, stay aloft for extended missions, and coordinate data for dozens of friendly fighter jets simultaneously.
Boeing began designing the military adaptation at the turn of the century, marketing it as the natural successor to the aging E-3 Sentry AWACS planes. The program's history, however, has been marked by challenges. Australia was the first customer a quarter-century ago, and its initial order faced software problems and delivery delays. The Australian government eventually brought costs under control, reporting a base cost of about $2 billion for six aircraft, and now operates them for missions ranging from exercises with U.S. forces to patrolling Eastern European skies.
To date, Boeing has delivered 14 finished Wedgetails to the air forces of Australia, South Korea, and Turkey. The U.S. Air Force entered a $2.6 billion contract for two prototypes in 2024, only to attempt cancellation months later.
Global Trends and the Unmet Need
The debate over the Wedgetail reflects broader struggles within Western militaries to manage complex, costly weapons programs. Parallel issues are seen in the U.S. Navy's shipbuilding delays and the Sentinel nuclear missile project, whose costs have nearly doubled.
While the U.S. deliberates, other nations are also reassessing their commitments. NATO has scrapped plans to buy six E-7s, and the U.K. has reduced its planned purchase from five to three aircraft. Proponents argue that the urgent need to replace the U.S. Air Force's decrepit E-3 Sentry fleet remains unchanged. These nearly 50-year-old planes are frequently grounded due to a lack of expensive, scarce parts.
Glen VanHerck, a retired Air Force general and former commander of NORAD, emphasized this point, stating the old Sentries were not meeting mission requirements at the time of his 2024 retirement and would only deteriorate further. The Wedgetail's larger cabin, advanced radar, and longer endurance offer a clear technological leap.
As a compromise, Congress has mandated the Air Force to present a plan to streamline the E-7's requirements and control costs. U.S. officials have proposed a cost-saving measure of shipping two unfinished 737 airframes to the U.K. for military outfitting, leveraging British expertise on the platform, before final assembly in America. The Air Force has stated it will comply with the new defense law, ensuring the Wedgetail program, for now, lives on.
