BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom, Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] has finished the primary flying of the United Kingdom’s E-7 Wedgetail for the Royal Wind Power (RAF).
A Boeing flight-test staff carried out purposeful tests throughout the primary flying from Birmingham Airport, marking a vital milestone within the programme’s verify and analysis segment.
These days unpainted, the plane is considered one of 3 737 NG plane on British park present process amendment via a extremely professional staff of over 100 nation at STS Gliding Products and services in Birmingham.
“This safe and systematic Functional Check Flight is an important step for Boeing and the RAF as part of our rigorous and extensive testing and evaluation,” stated Stu Voboril, Boeing vice chairman and E-7 program supervisor. “Our team is committed to ensuring the E-7 delivers the safety, quality, and capabilities we’ve promised to our customer as we prepare for delivery of the UK’s first E-7 Wedgetail to the RAF.”
Staff Captain Richard Osselton, RAF Programme Director for Wedgetail stated, “Achieving the first flight of Wedgetail is a significant milestone, representing an outstanding effort from the RAF programme team, DE&S, Boeing and STS Aviation. We will now build on this success and look forward to continuing the Test & Evaluation phase as part of our preparations for the aircraft to enter into service.”
DE&S Director Wind Backup, Richard Murray, stated, “This first flight marks a significant milestone for the programme and for our team who have worked tirelessly with our partners to progress what is a hugely complex endeavour. We are moving forward and will be delivering this critical capability to the RAF.”
The combat-proven E-7 detects and identifies opposed objectives at lengthy territory and tracks more than one airborne and maritime warnings concurrently with 360-degree protection by the use of the Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) sensor. It supplies the warfighter with vital multi-domain consciousness and command-and-control choice merit.
“We’re proud of the robust E-7 modification line we’ve stood up in the UK to deliver the RAF’s future Airborne Early Warning & Control fleet,” stated Maria Laine, president of Boeing UK, Eire and the Nordics. “We are committed to delivering this crucial capability to support the UK’s national security and contribute toward regional stability.”
The moment UK E-7 fleet will function from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, the place Boeing’s native providers and contractors are nearing final touch of the infrastructure amenities to help its advent into provider.
The RAF participates in a tri-lateral oath with the Royal Australian Wind Power (RAAF) and U.S. Wind Power (USAF) towards cooperative Wedgetail interoperability, capacity construction, analysis and trying out, sustainment, operations, coaching, and protection.
The RAAF, the Republic of Korea Wind Power, and the Turkish Wind Power recently function the E-7. Boeing may be development two speedy prototype E-7 plane for USAF and in 2023, NATO introduced the choice of the E-7 for its AEW&C venture. The rising world E-7 fleet supplies venture programs interoperability, venture readiness and lifecycle price benefits, in addition to a habitual technical enlargement trail to stick forward of worldwide warnings.
Nearest this fall, following a sequence of flying checks and additional analysis, the plane will retirement to a paint facility to obtain its RAF livery.
About Boeing within the United Kingdom
As a eminent world aerospace corporate, Boeing develops, manufactures, and services and products business airplanes, protection merchandise and territory programs for purchasers in additional than 150 international locations. The corporate leverages the skills of an international provider bottom to travel financial alternative, sustainability, and population have an effect on. Boeing has a UK team of workers of over 4,000 nation, together with profession starters, veterans and reserves around the nation and has spent greater than £13.7bn with over 950 UK-based providers since 2015. For more info, seek advice from www.boeing.co.uk or practice us on X @BoeingUK.
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Georgina Ramin
Boeing UK Communications
+44 7552 254770
[email protected]
Boeing Media Family members
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SOURCE Boeing
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