U.S., U.K., Australia Collaborate on E-7A Wedgetail AWACS Acquisition

The U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and Royal Air Force (RAF) have completed a major step toward fielding the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.

The joint effort certified the U.S. Air Force’s KC-46A Pegasus tanker for air-to-air refueling of the RAAF’s E-7A Wedgetail, marking the first time this has been achieved with the aircraft. The test, conducted by the 418th Flight Test Squadron and the Global Reach Combined Test Force, also advanced U.S. Air Force and RAF certification efforts for their own future Wedgetail fleets.

The testing, which took place over the Mojave Desert, involved a deployed RAAF E-7A and a U.S. KC-46A, demonstrating new interoperability between two platforms that had never previously connected in flight. According to officials, this enhances Australia’s operational flexibility by expanding refueling options beyond its current KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport.

Boeing, supporting the mission and KC-46 program, worked closely with U.S. Air Force testers to navigate technical challenges such as secure data sharing and system integration.

The RAF plans to bring its E-7A fleet online in the near future, while the U.S. Air Force expects to begin testing its first Wedgetail later this decade. Officials say lessons learned from this operation are already shaping future planning and test strategies.