Wedgetail milestone

THE first airframe for Australia’s new $3.45 billion airborne early warning and control aircraft fleet has rolled off the production line at Boeing’s Military Flight Centre in Seattle, United States.

Defence Minister Robert Hill was on hand to witness the event during his visit to the US.
The AEW&C platform is based on Boeing’s next generation 737 aircraft which is then modified to accommodate various highly sophisticated mission systems, radars and antennae.

“With the first air frame ready for modification we expect our first Wedgetail aircraft to fly before the end of the year – around six months ahead of schedule – with the first two aircraft of the fleet expected to be in service in 2007,” Senator Hill said.

The first Radar and Identification Friend or Foe antenna for Australia’s AEW&C aircraft also has been completed.

The multi-role electronically scanned array antenna, which was designed, manufactured and assembled by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Sector in the United States, will be the primary sensor system aboard the Boeing 737 AEW&C aircraft being produced under the Australia’s $3.45 billion Wedgetail project.

The antenna is designed to detect air and sea targets simultaneously and will allow the AEW&C crew to control the aircraft while continuously scanning the operational area.

Senator Hill said the radar detected and accurately located aircraft and boats at long range and would provide a capability critical to Australia’s border protection.

“The new antenna exploits leading edge technology which will include full 360 degrees surveillance coverage,” Senator Hill said.

“It will be extensively tested over the next five months at the Northrop Grumman test range in Baltimore before being installed on one of our new AEW&C aircraft.”

Under the terms of the contract signed with Boeing in December 2000, Defence will acquire four AEW&C aircraft with the option of purchasing an additional two or three aircraft at pre-agreed prices.

The AEW&C fleet can perform a range of tasks including air defence, over-the-horizon targeting and battlefield surveillance.

The aircraft would also be interoperable with our key coalition partners and would provide a valuable niche capability for future coalition operations, Senator Hill said.

Project Wedgetail is under budget and six months ahead of schedule, with the first AEW&C aircraft due to fly before the end of the year.

 

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