Documents
United States Boeing
E-7 Wedgetail
737-based airborne early warning and control aircraft with a fixed AESA radar offering 360-degree coverage, originally developed for the Royal Australian Air Force.
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-04
💲 ≈ $450,000,000, Per-aircraft cost varies enormously by program and stage. Australia's original six-aircraft AEW&C program totaled about AUD 3.4 billion, roughly USD 370 to 400 million per aircraft, the UK's five-aircraft order was valued at roughly USD 400 to 540 million per aircraft, and the US Air Force's own unit-cost estimate grew from about USD 588 million to USD 724 million before the program was cancelled in 2025. USD 450 million sits within this documented range as a rough cross-program average rather than a single confirmed price.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 853 km/h |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 853 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 6,500 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 12,497 m |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 33.6 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 35.8 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 12.5 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 46,606 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 77,600 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 21 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | CFM International CFM56-7B27A turbofan |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 121 kN |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | Northrop Grumman MESA (Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array) radar |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $450,000,000 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Boeing and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-04.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) KJ-2000 (Mainring) Head-to-head comparisons
E-7 Wedgetail vs
Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail? +
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail has a maximum speed of 853 km/h.
What is the range of the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail? +
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail has a maximum range of 6,500 km.
How much does the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail weigh? +
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail has a combat weight of 77,600 kg.
How many crew does the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail require? +
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail requires a crew of 21.
What engine does the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail use? +
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail is powered by the CFM International CFM56-7B27A turbofan.
How much does the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail cost? +
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail has an approximate unit cost of 450,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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