The US Air Force’s AWACS fleet is in crisis. After years of indecision over replacing the ageing E-3 Sentry, the Pentagon repeatedly tried to cancel the E-7 Wedgetail programme, only for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to reverse course and back the aircraft in May 2026 (yesterday!).
While the Pentagon debated, America’s closest allies moved early. Australia, South Korea, Turkey and the United Kingdom all operate the E-7 Wedgetail. NATO, meanwhile, abandoned the E-7 entirely and appears to have selected the Saab GlobalEye for its next-generation airborne early warning and control fleet.
The US now finds itself with a delayed AEW&C upgrade programme and vulnerabilities in its existing E-3 Sentry fleet. It’s at least moving in the right direction with a final decision on the E-7 (which, in my view, will be vital for any “Pacific contingency”)
I made this video to break down how the Pentagon’s own budget battles created this mess. From repeated cancellation attempts to the congressional pushback that kept the E-7 alive, to the broader consequences for US military readiness and NATO air power. The E-3 is being retired faster than it can be replaced, and the gap in airborne surveillance is growing.
Chapters:
00:00 E-7 Wedgetail Story
01:08 Airborne Early Warning
01:50 E-3 Sentry Fleet
02:30 The E-7 Bust Up
03:18 Space-based tracking?
03:54 Pete Hegseth’s Concerns
04:32 The Military’s View
05:25 Timeline
06:00 Pete Hegseth Backtracks
06:56 NATO Abandons the E-7
Sources:
Air Force cancels E-7 Wedgetail, citing survivability and cost concerns — Breaking Defense
“Not survivable”: Hegseth says DoD reviewing E-7 Wedgetail program — Breaking Defense
Following congressional rebuke, Air Force awards E-7 contracts — Breaking Defense
NATO eyes Swedish-Canadian jet for AWACS role — Defense News
Janes: NATO abandons E-7 acquisition
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force to Buy Developmental E-7s With $2.4B Contracts
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Meink Suggests E-7 Program Remains Unresolved
Defense News: Former Air Force chiefs sound alarm about planned F-35, E-7 cuts
House of Commons Defence Committee: Aviation Procurement: Winging it?
House of Commons Library: RAF E-7 Wedgetail programme (CDP-2025-0161)
NBC News: Vital US radar aircraft destroyed by Iranian strike
Defense One: Funding for E-7 Wedgetail included in shutdown deal
Royal Australian Air Force: E-7A Wedgetail
Attributions:
Konstantin von Wedelstaedt (GFDL 1.2)
Korea Aerospace Industries/Boeing
Ministry of Defence, OGL v1.0OGL v1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Credit to : MGG Geopolitics