Boeing 737 AEW&C

infobox Aircraft
name = Boeing 737 AEW&C
type = Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C)
manufacturer = Boeing IDS



caption =A Turkish Boeing 737 AEW&C
designer =
first flight = 2004
introduced =Early 2009 [ [http://www.janes.com/defence/news/jdi/jdi061128_1_n.shtml "Boeing announces further delay to Australia's Wedgetail aircraft"] [http://www.janes.com/ "Jane's Information Group"] November 28, 2006]
retired =
status = Under development
primary user = Royal Australian Air Force
more users = Turkish Air Force Republic of Korea Air Force
produced =
number built =
unit cost = US$490 millionFact|date=February 2008
developed from = Boeing 737
variants with their own articles = C-40 Clipper P-8 Poseidon

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 (under Project Peace Eagle, Turkish: "Barış Kartalı") and the Republic of Korea Air Force, and has been proposed to Italy and the UAE.

Design and development

The official name of the 737 AEW&C is: 737-700 Airborne Early Warning & Control E7A, Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array RADAR Antenna (737-700 AEW&C MESA RADAR Antenna). The aircraft uses the Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar. The radar is located on a dorsal fin on top of the fuselage, dubbed the "top hat", and is designed for minimal aerodynamic effect. The radar is capable of simultaneous air and sea search, fighter control and area search. Other modifications include ventral fins to counterbalance the radar and countermeasures mounted on the nose, wingtips and tail. The cabin features eight operator consoles with sufficient space for four more; the Australian fleet will operate ten consoles with space for two more.

Northrop Grumman's Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar used on the 737 AEW&C platform also formed the basis for the same company's Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) which was developed for the U.S. Air Force's E-10 AWACS aircraft.

Operational history

Australia

In 1997, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems was awarded a contract to supply four AEW&C aircraft (whose design is based on the Boeing Business Jet 1), with Australia having the option to increase the order by three additional aircraft. Australia has since taken up two of those options. Aircraft deliveries were to begin in 2006, but significant program delays due to integration problems have occurred. The first two Wedgetail aircraft were assembled and will undergo testing in Seattle, Washington, with the final four aircraft to be assembled by Boeing Australia. All the Australian aircraft will be operated by No. 2 Squadron RAAF and will be based at RAAF Base Williamtown with a permanent detachment at RAAF Base Tindal.

For the Australian aircraft, Boeing and Northrop are teamed with Boeing Australia, Ltd., BAE Systems Australia and Qantas Defence Services. Boeing Australia will provide training, maintenance and support, BAE provides EWSP systems, Electronic Support Measures (ESM) systems and ground support systems, while Qantas provides maintenance support for the aircraft. Qantas also provides maintenance for the two BBJ VIP aircraft of the RAAF.

On June 29, 2006 the then Australian Minister for Defence, Brendan Nelson, announced that Boeing had recently informed the Australian Government that the Wedgetail project has fallen behind schedule. According to Nelson's press release, the company had previously maintained that the project was actually on schedule.Brendan Nelson [http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/NelsonMintpl.cfm?CurrentId=5775 "Wedgetail Project"] Press Release.]

Boeing has announced an 18 month delay, due to problems integrating radar and sensor computer systems, and will not deliver the aircraft until early 2009. Additionally, Boeing has taken $770 million in charges in 2006 for the delayed aircraft. [http://www.isrjournal.com/story.php?F=2581313 "Radar down under Australia grapples with the Wedgetail AEW&C program"] . C4ISR Journal, May 4, 2007] Furthermore, on June 20, 2008 Boeing announced yet another delay to the Australian program, due primarily to integration of the radar and Electronic Support Measure (ESM) systems. Boeing now hopes to deliver the first aircraft in July 2009 and work on the aircraft in country to achieve Full Capability in "early" 2010. Australian DoD [http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?session=dae.32738717.1200146969.-cQmt38AAAEAABbqB64AAAAC&modele=jdc_34] Press Release. ]

Turkey

A total of four Boeing 737 AEW&C Peace Eagle aircraft (along with ground support systems) were ordered by the Turkish Air Force, with an option for two more. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is the primary subcontractor for the Peace Eagle parts production, aircraft modification, assembly and tests. Another subcontractor, Havelsan, is responsible for system analysis and software support. [ [http://www.havelsan.com.tr/eng/activities/exp/main_exp/bk.php Peace Eagle (PE) - Turkish Airborne Early Warning & Control System] , Havelsan.]

Peace Eagle 1 is modified and tested by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in Seattle, WA, USA. Peace Eagle 2, 3 and 4 are modified and tested at the facilities of TAI in Ankara, Turkey, with the participation of Boeing and a number of Turkish companies. As of 2006, the four Peace Eagle airplanes were scheduled to be delivered in 2008. [http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/ic/aewc/news/2006/q1/060302b_pr.html "Boeing Installs MESA Antenna on First Peace Eagle Aircraft"] , Boeing, March 2, 2006.] As of mid-2007, systems integration was ongoing and airworthiness certification works continued. In September 2007, Boeing completed the first test flight of Turkey's AEW&C 737. [ [http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/ic/aewc/news/2007/q3/070906b_nr.html "Boeing Successfully Completes First Test Flight of AEW&C Peace Eagle Aircraft"] , Boeing, September 6, 2007.]

On June 4, 2008, it was announced that the Turkish Aerospace Industries had completed modifications to Peace Eagle 2, the second 737 AEW&C aircraft at TAI's facilities in Turkey. Completion of checks on flight and mission systems is expected in the third quarter of 2008. [ [http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2008/q2/080604a_nr.html "Boeing Supplier Turkish Aerospace Industries Completes 1st In-Country Modification of Peace Eagle AEW&C Aircraft"] , Boeing, June 4, 2008]

outh Korea

On November 7, 2006, Boeing won a $1.6 billion contract with South Korea to deliver four aircraft by 2012." [http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2006-11-08T083855Z_01_SEO352033_RTRIDST_0_ARMS-KOREA-BOEING-UPDATE-1.XML&rpc=66&type=qcna South Korea picks Boeing for surveillance planes] ." Reuters. November 7, 2006.] Boeing beat out the other entrant, IAI Elta's Gulfstream G550-based aircraft, which was eliminated from the competition on August 3, 2006." [http://today.reuters.com/stocks/QuoteCompanyNewsArticle.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2006-08-03T084326Z_01_SEO302934_RTRIDST_0_KOREA-BOEING-ISRAEL.XML&rpc=66 S.Korea drops IAI, keeps Boeing in $2 bln plane deal] ." Reuters. August 3, 2006.]

Potential customers

Italy has been strongly tipped for a purchase of a total of 14 Wedgetail and P-8 MMA aircraft, with fleet support provided by Alitalia."Aviation Week & Space Technology". June 21, 2004.] The Boeing 737 is favored the competitor for the UAE AEW&C program. [http://www.defensenews.com/idex/story.php?id=2568280 "Northrop Grumman E-2D Back in Competition for UAEAF AEW Platform"] . February 22, 2007.]

pecifications

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet

ref=

crew=Flight:2 Mission:8-10
capacity=
payload main=43,720 lb
payload alt=19,830 kg
length main=110 ft 4 in
length alt=33.6 m
span main=117 ft 2 in
span alt=35.8 m
height main=41 ft 2 in
height alt=12.5 m
area main=980 ft²
area alt=91 m²
airfoil=B737D
empty weight main=102,750 lb
empty weight alt=46,606 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=171,000 lb
max takeoff weight alt=77,564 kg
more general=

engine (jet)=CFM International
type of jet=CFM56-7B27A turbofans
number of jets=2
thrust main=27,000 lbf
thrust alt=118 kN
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=
engine (prop)=
type of prop=
number of props=
power main=
power alt=
power original=

max speed main=
max speed alt=
cruise speed main=530 mph
cruise speed alt=853 km/h
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=3,800 nmi
range alt=7,040 km
ceiling main=41,000 ft
ceiling alt= 12,500 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=

armament=

avionics=Northrop Grumman Multi-role Active Electronically Scanned Array radar

References

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Boeing 737
* C-40 Clipper
* P-8 Poseidon

similar aircraft=
* Boeing E-767
* E-3 Sentry

lists=
see also=

External links

* [http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/ic/aewc/index.html Boeing 737 AEW&C] , and [http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/infoelect/wedgetail-737/ 737 AEW&C Wedgetail pages on Boeing.com]
* [http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/737aewc/ 737 AEW&C Wedgetail page on airforce-technology.com]
* [http://flug-revue.rotor.com/FRHeft/FRHeft05/FRH0503/FR0503e.htm Boeing 737 AEW&C Wedgetail on Flug Revue site]
* [http://www.aewa.org/Library/ Library page on Airborne Early Warning Association site]