Australian Replacement To RAF Sentry Fleet Being Considered

An E-7A Wedgetail is waved off before a logistics mission in the Middle East (Picture: Australian Defence Imagery). 

The RAF’s Sentry fleet could be replaced by the E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) System, the Defence Secretary has announced.

The Wedgetail (named after the Wedgetail eagle) provides military personnel with situational awareness and can track multiple airborne and maritime targets simultaneously.

The aircraft is fitted with a Northrop Grumman active electronically-scanned radar and during a ten-hour period can cover four million square kilometres.

The Wedgetail was used extensively by the Royal Australian Air Force in the fight against so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Further discussions are set to take place before any investment decision is made.

Gavin Williamson said: "The Wedgetail is the stand-out performer in our pursuit of a new battlespace surveillance aircraft, and has already proved itself in Iraq and Syria.

"Running air operations from the sky, it could be an excellent asset for the RAF and give us a real edge in this increasingly complex world."

The deal would be an opportunity to enhance Britain’s links with the Australian Defence Force - last year the ADF announced it would use Britain’s Type 26 design when building its new generation of frigates.

Mr Williamson went on to say:

“Our future with Australia will already see us operate the same maritime patrol aircraft, world-class Type 26 warships and supersonic F-35 jets.

"Wedgetail may join that formidable armoury and help us work together to take on the global threats that we both face."