Wedgetail has landed

Aircraft one - the Wedgetail as she looked after modifications in Seattle, flying high over Sydney Harbour last year.

Photo by LAC Euan Grant

A NEW chapter in Air Force history and capability opened on January 16 when the first of six Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft on order for Air Force touched down at RAAF Base Amberley.

The aircraft, which is the third of the modified Boeing 737s from the $450 million project off the production line, is the first of four that will be modified at Amberley.

The first two are being modified in the United States and are scheduled for handover in November. The modifications include fitting the phased array radar and supporting onboard systems.

When completed, the six aircraft will provide Australia with leading-edge air and maritime surveillance and will be capable of extended missions in support of two different operations at a time.

They will be based at RAAF Base Williamtown and flown by No. 2 Squadron.

Meanwhile, another Wedgetail has successfully completed its first 360 degree scanning trials with the onboard phased array radar, while a 737 aircraft simulator has been installed and commissioned at RAAF Base Williamtown.

Over the next six months, the simulator will be modified to represent the Wedgetail configuration so that simulator training can be completed before the first operational aircraft is accepted into service with the Air Force.

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