Royal Air Force personnel have joined representatives from Australia and the U.S. at RAAF Williamtown for the latest E-7 Wedgetail Trilateral Working Group meeting (with Canadian Air force personnel observing).
It was the first time air force experts have gathered in Australia to share best practice and develop solutions on Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) of the skies.
Established in 2022, the Wedgetail Trilateral Agreement is a commitment of the RAF, RAAF, and USAF to work together under an E-7 Joint Vision Statement towards collaboration and interoperability.
Flight Lieutenant Beasley, an RAF exchange officer and E-7A Wedgetail mission computing system asset manager, said these regular engagements supported the working groups' fleets in the move towards further cooperation.
“My position here reflects the three nations’ drive towards the establishment of a cooperative programme under the Air Force Chief’s E-7 Joint Vision Statement. In the short term, the joint intent is cooperation on the E-7 Wedgetail’s introduction to service for the RAF and USAF; in the longer term, to cooperatively pursue a common interoperable capability.”
Flight Lieutenant Beasley
RAAF Project Director Group Captain Spee said cooperation with Australia's close partners would deliver wide-ranging benefits both now and into the future.
“Future advanced AEW&C will bring some exciting capabilities to us. Developing it together with our partners will share development costs and provide some economies of scale that will make it affordable.”
Group Captain Spee
RAAF Project Director
During the event, partners had the opportunity to tour RAAF Williamtown E-7A Wedgetail operations, maintenance, and support facilities, and to conduct familiarisation with the aircraft.
The Wedgetail is the most capable and effective airborne early warning and control platform in operation today. The RAF’s three Wedgetail aircraft are currently being modified in the UK, having created over 100 skilled jobs.
The E-7 Wedgetail is currently in operation with the Royal Australian Air Force, Turkish Air Force and Republic of Korea Air Force. The United States Air Force and NATO have recently chosen Wedgetail as their E-3 Sentry replacement.
