UK Defence Forum

written answers 4th july 2022

https://questions-statements.parliament ... 6-27/25769

I absolutely will be putting in a bid for additional assets

Would I be getting my hopes for more aircraft?

More imagery..from the ISTAR SRO

A bit bigger.

https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/ra ... 98.article

The UK’s third and currently final Boeing 737NG acquired for conversion into the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning configuration for the Royal Air Force has arrived in the country.

Seems to have sneaked into the country.

In the linked article Air Commodore Hicks noted:

Noting that the company had not built a MESA radar for 10 years prior to receiving the contract for the UK, he says: “There were significant obsolescence issues that Northrop Grumman had to overcome.” This included the need to replace older technology previously produced as line replaceable units with single electronic cards. “It has been modernised in multiple places,” he says.

So that's three Wedgetails with different radar, do the Australian E7s already have similar upgrades? What about the baseline standard of the mooted American ones? Potentially puts a bump in any planned common upgrades going forward.

tomuk wrote: ↑19 Jul 2022, 01:40 In the linked article Air Commodore Hicks noted:

Noting that the company had not built a MESA radar for 10 years prior to receiving the contract for the UK, he says: “There were significant obsolescence issues that Northrop Grumman had to overcome.” This included the need to replace older technology previously produced as line replaceable units with single electronic cards. “It has been modernised in multiple places,” he says.

So that's three Wedgetails with different radar, do the Australian E7s already have similar upgrades? What about the baseline standard of the mooted American ones? Potentially puts a bump in any planned common upgrades going forward.

It could be a simple as designing new line replaceable units (plug in / take out for maintenance) that incorporate current microprocessors but are functionally the same as the earlier design.

The next refresh of the RAAF E-7 might simply align them with the (then) current build USAF specification. The new open system architecture that will be included in the new USAF aircraft has already been tested in a RAAF aircraft.

tomuk wrote: ↑19 Jul 2022, 01:40 In the linked article Air Commodore Hicks noted:

Noting that the company had not built a MESA radar for 10 years prior to receiving the contract for the UK, he says: “There were significant obsolescence issues that Northrop Grumman had to overcome.” This included the need to replace older technology previously produced as line replaceable units with single electronic cards. “It has been modernised in multiple places,” he says.

So that's three Wedgetails with different radar, do the Australian E7s already have similar upgrades? What about the baseline standard of the mooted American ones? Potentially puts a bump in any planned common upgrades going forward.

When selected it was presented as the only solution that was IN production so it was off the shelf. Interesting they classed it as such as no one had built one for 10 years, guess it’s tell whatever lies u like to get what you first thought off.

I don't know how much we can tell from the pictures but from picture 3 it looks like the first 2 aircraft have had the mounting points for the radar installed.

Boeing Says It’s Ready to Help USAF ‘Accelerate‘ Delivery of E-7 Ahead of 2027 Timeline
https://www.airforcemag.com/boeing-read ... tail-2027/

Saw this the other day, thought some might be interested...

Remember was a fully costed low risk off the shelf in production product at an unbelievable cheap price

Francis Tusa has a whole tread on the E-7 but the below is a bit unsettling.

It has been in service with RAAF for the last decade. How can it possibly be in a similar situation as Ajax. If so then MOD procurement really does need root and branch reform.

wargame_insomniac wrote: ↑03 Oct 2022, 17:49 It has been in service with RAAF for the last decade. How can it possibly be in a similar situation as Ajax. If so then MOD procurement really does need root and branch reform.

Never underestimate the issues you find when converting 2nd hand aircraft to a configuration no one has built in a decade. Not to mention an oem with airworthiness question marks on nearly ever program it’s building.

There’s a lot more to achieving IOC than delivery of functioning aircraft, though.

Turf cutting ceremony Lossiemouth

https://raf.mod.uk/news/articles/turf-c ... ail-fleet/

SouthernOne wrote: ↑03 Oct 2022, 22:45 There’s a lot more to achieving IOC than delivery of functioning aircraft, though.

Yes. Could be as simple as getting the right number of crew together. The training pipeline is limited and the USAF are just as interested.

Yes not a lot of crew want to go to Lossiemouth either as seen with p8..


But for a supposed low risk program already cut in half because they didn’t budget properly and now reported slips to the right in schedule it certainly has the beginnings of a feel of a shambles

That's one problem, people you need that have been settled in lincs for ages surprisingly aren't interested in moving to the far north of Scotland.

Well it was good enough for our King.

I didn't realise - driving past Lossie this summer seeing a turn off sign to Gordonstoun 10 minutes away

SW1 wrote: ↑19 Jul 2022, 08:09
When selected it was presented as the only solution that was IN production so it was off the shelf. Interesting they classed it as such as no one had built one for 10 years, guess it’s tell whatever lies u like to get what you first thought off.

RAF good at telling lies. Practice.

the RAF wanted the E-7 and worked the story to meet the requirement. Wasn't the first nor will it be the last time such a thing happens.

“Never underestimate the determination of an RAF officer to get himself qualified on a 737”
anonymous