Wedgetail woes may be over for Boeing
Boeing is making the long-delayed delivery of the Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF

Boeing is making the long-delayed delivery of the Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) via the Dubai Airshow this week. The first of the six 737-based aircraft has arrived for display at the static park, where invited visitors will be able to go onboard. The fourth aircraft for the RAAF is also flying to Australia this month, in time for a handover ceremony “down under” on November 24.

RAAF chief Air Marshall Mark Binskin told AIN here yesterday that the official acceptance would take place early next year and that he hoped to achieve initial operating capability (IOC) late next year. He said Boeing subcontractor BAE Systems is still working hard to develop and deliver the Wedgetail’s electronic support measures (ESM), “but we don’t need the ESM to start training our aircrews.”