E-2 Hawkeye Replaces USAF E-3 Sentry, E-7 Cancelled In New Budget

[Finty]

Somewhat surprised by this development.

A seismic shift has occurred in the Trump administration’s new defense spending plan that is just emerging when it comes to the USAF’s airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) predicament. The service’s E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft are dwindling in number and rapidly aging into unsupportability. The proven and in-production E-7 Wedgetail, based on the Boeing 737 and serving with multiple allies, was supposed to bridge the gap between the E-3’s retirement and pushing the sending part of the mission to space-based distributed satellite constellations. You can read all about this here. Now, if the administration gets its wish, that won’t happen. The E-7 will be cancelled and the E-2D Hawkeye, currently flown by the U.S. Navy, will step in to fill the gap.

The rest can be read here:
https://www.twz.com/air/e-2-hawkeye-rep ... new-budget

[Sw]

The first two are on the production line so we should get in quick we have a radar already.So it not a major cost.

[Vulcanone]

I suspect (Presumably) that Congress will most likely block the decision, like attempts to retire older non combat coded F-22s and the Older F-15Es.... I guess we wait and see...

[Freeman Lowell]

The first two are on the production line so we should get in quick we have a radar already.So it not a major cost.

Serious question to any knowledgeable person out there - Do we still have those two spare radars or did we flog them off on the cheap?
Thanks,
Freeman

[Vulcanone]

The first two are on the production line so we should get in quick we have a radar already.So it not a major cost.

Serious question to any knowledgeable person out there - Do we still have those two spare radars or did we flog them off on the cheap?
Thanks,
Freeman

A smart move would have to be keeping them for the possibility that a radar on one airframe gets majorly broken... But saying that, I don't actually know if anyone with E-3s bought spare radars either...

[jd4781]

The two radars, or parts of them, will be kept for spares.

https://questions-statements.parliament ... 1-22/25650

The remaining two MESA radars are in production with Northrop Grumman and will be delivered to the RAF in Summer 2025.

https://questions-statements.parliament ... 2-25/33396

Parts from the radars originally planned for aircraft four and five will be retained for spares allowing a saving /offset of initial procurement and future sustainment requirements from the overall programme cost.

[Vulcanone]

The two radars, or parts of them, will be kept for spares.

https://questions-statements.parliament ... 1-22/25650

The remaining two MESA radars are in production with Northrop Grumman and will be delivered to the RAF in Summer 2025.

https://questions-statements.parliament ... 2-25/33396

Parts from the radars originally planned for aircraft four and five will be retained for spares allowing a saving /offset of initial procurement and future sustainment requirements from the overall programme cost.

Thanks for that, I had some notion it had already been decided. Just memory clouding over...

[Freeman Lowell]

Thanks jd.
Maria did very well to produce an apparent positive from a £120 million negative.
A good example of a career politician!
Freeman