An aerospace firm located in the United Kingdom has secured an agreement with Boeing to commence the preliminary modification tasks for the inaugural pair of U.S. Air Force E-7 Wedgetail planes, as affirmed by the Ministry of Defence.
According to a written parliamentary response issued on February 17th, Defence Secretary Luke Pollard stated that STS Aviation, situated at Birmingham Aerodrome, is presently engaged under contract to conduct the preliminary modification stage for two Boeing 737 airframes destined to be reconfigured into E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and command platforms.
Pollard’s statement came in reply to an inquiry from Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament James MacCleary, who sought confirmation from the Government regarding a definitive agreement made with British industry to modify a pair of planes for eventual deployment by the U.S. Air Force. Pollard declared: “STS Aviation, located at Birmingham aerodrome, holds a contract from Boeing to carry out the initial transformation of the inaugural two USAF E-7 Wedgetail planes.”
This disclosure succeeds a press statement from the Ministry of Defence circulated in September 2025, which announced that the United Kingdom was poised to construct military aeroplanes for the United States for the first time in over five decades, characterizing the endeavor as a significant boost to industry.
The E-7 Wedgetail represents an airborne early warning plane derived from the Boeing 737, outfitted with a versatile electronically scanned array radar system. This apparatus is presently utilized by numerous allied air services and has been chosen by the United Kingdom to supersede its decommissioned E-3D Sentry fleet.
Nevertheless, despite the U.S. Air Force having financed the creation of two experimental planes, it is still uncertain if the United States will advance with a complete fleet acquisition. Current American defense budget recommendations have indicated a shift away from dedicating funds to extensive procurement of the E-7, attributing this to escalating expenses, timeline worries, and issues of resilience, even though the initiative still enjoys legislative backing in Congress.