DTN News: Boeing Successfully Completes Flights Of 2 Wedgetail AEW&C Aircraft Modified In Australia

DTN News: Boeing Successfully Completes Flights Of 2 Wedgetail AEW&C Aircraft Modified In Australia

*Source: DTN News / Boeing

(NSI News Source Info) SEATTLE, USA - February 3, 2009: The Boeing Company has conducted successful functional check flights of two 737-700 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft modified in Australia for Project Wedgetail. During each of the 2.5-hour flights on Jan. 21 and 28 from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base Amberley, pilot Doug Benjamin and first officer Ed Wilson performed a series of functional tests that verified the airworthiness of the aircraft's systems and structures. The Boeing 737 AEW&C is an Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft. It was designed in response to Australia's RFP for an aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Project Wedgetail. The 737 AEW&C has also been selected by the Turkish Air Force and the Republic of Korea Air Force, and has been proposed to Italy and the UAE. The flight followed major aircraft modifications performed by Boeing Defence Australia at Amberley, including the installation and checkout of an advanced Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) antenna, ventral fins and mission system equipment. "These successful functional check flights demonstrate the significant capability we have here in Amberley to execute the complex modification work required to transform a 737 airplane into an AEW&C platform," said Wayne Needs, vice president and general manager for Boeing Global Services & Support, Australia. The two aircraft will be painted with RAAF markings over the next few weeks. Boeing will finish installing mission system equipment on both aircraft and conduct a series of ground checkouts later this year. The Wedgetail program includes six 737-700 AEW&C aircraft plus ground support segments for mission crew training, mission support and system maintenance. Three aircraft are currently in modification at Amberley while the other three are being flight-tested at Boeing's facility in Seattle. The 737-700 features 21st century avionics, navigation equipment and flight deck features. Because of its advanced technology, the aircraft requires minimal downtime for maintenance. The 737 series has a worldwide base of suppliers, parts and support equipment. The modified AEW&C aircraft features Northrop Grumman's MESA antenna with integrated identification friend-or-foe capabilities; a flexible, open architecture for cost-effective future upgrades; an extensive communications suite; and aerial refueling capability.

AEW Airborne Early Warning Aircrafts Would Be Vital Factor In Aerial Warfare

AEW Airborne Early Warning Aircrafts Would Be Vital Factor In Aerial Warfare (NSI News Source Info) January 14, 2009: From small beginnings in 1942 with the UK's Airborne Controlled Interception programme, land-based airborne early warning (AEW) has become an integral part of aerial warfare.

Over the years, the original 'radar picket' role has morphed into AEW and control (AEW&C) and, most recently, battlespace management. At the time of writing, Chinese, Indian, Israeli, Russian, Swedish and US industries are all involved in the technology and it is with their activities that this feature concerns itself. US efforts centre on the Boeing E-3 Sentry, the Boeing 737 AEW&C, the Boeing E-767 and the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye aircraft.

Of these, the Hawkeye is something of a hybrid as it is carrier capable and is the primary AEW asset of the French and US navies. With this said, land-based Hawkeyes are operated by the air arms of Egypt, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and Taiwan. The Erieye radar system, is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) developed by Saab Microwave Systems (formerly Ericsson Microwave Systems) of Sweden. It is based on the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA). The Erieye is used on a variety of aircraft platforms, such as the Brazilian Embraer R-99 or EMB-145. It has recently been implemented on the Saab 2000 aircraft. The Erieye Ground Interface Segment (EGIS; not to be confused with the Aegis combat system) is a major component of the software used by the Erieye system. The radar provides 360 degree coverage and has an instrumental range of 450km and detection range of 350 km in a dense hostile electronic warfare environment — in heavy radar clutter and at low target altitudes. In addition to this, the radar is also capable of identifying friends or foes, and has a sea surveillance mode. The Erieye system has full interoperability with NATO air defence command and control systems. Sweden has loaned two of these systems to Greece, while they are still owned by the Swedish Air Force. SAAB signed an 8 billion krona provisional contract to supply 6 of these systems to Pakistan, which was finalized in June 2006. Pakistan Air force had rejected the longer-ranged E-2C Hawkeye offer as it uses PESA radar, whereas ERIEYE is comparatively shorter ranged, but has the more advanced AESA radar (Pakistan Navy has however separated its paths from the air force & have opted for E2C Hawkeye to be mounted on its P3C Orion aircraft). Recently, Royal Thai Air Force signed the contact to order a Erieye system equipped on Saab 340 and has the option to order another system. This order is a part of Gripen order.

Of these, the Mexican aircraft are equipped with the UHF-band (300 MHz to 3 GHz) Lockheed Martin AN/APS-125 radar, while those flown by Singapore are fitted with the UHF-band Lockheed Martin AN/APS-138. All other currently operational E-2s are equipped with the UHF-band Lockheed Martin AN/APS-145 sensor, a radar that is also installed aboard a percentage of the US Customs and Border Protection service's fleet of P-3 AEW&C aircraft. Currently, Northrop Grumman continues to promote the E-2 as a land-based AEW&C platform.