AUSTRALIA

Wedgetail undergoes make or break exercise

The Boeing 737-based Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft is undergoing an Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL) in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Exercise Arnhem Thunder, from April 20 until May 1. The results will help determine the future of the troubled program, which is running more than three years late.

     The RAAF is the launch customer for Boeing’s 737-based AEW&C aircraft, with six Wedgetails on order. It has suffered problems with its Northrop Grumman Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar and its BAE Systems Australia Electronic Support Measures (ESM) equipment. Boeing is currently working towards delivery of the first two aircraft in November.

      Late last year, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) commissioned the USA’s MIT Lincoln Laboratory to look at the system’s radar performance and assess whether it will meet performance requirements. DoD expects to receive this report in early to mid May.

     This, plus the results of the OPEVAL, will be used at a meeting with Boeing and Northrop Grumman in mid-year which, the DoD hopes, will determine a viable way forward for the Wedgetail capability. “In the worst case, if no viable way forward can be found,” says the DoD, “then the progam could be cancelled.”