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NATO approves contract to replace AWACS fleet by 2031

According to the statement, "a consortium of Allies gave their approval to the project, one of NATO’s biggest-ever capability purchases, this month"

BRUSSELS, November 15. /TASS/. NATO said it had has approved a contract to replace the fleet of six Airborne Warning and Control (AWACS) aircraft by 2031.

"NATO has selected its next generation command and control aircraft as the Alliance’s existing AWACS fleet nears retirement. Production of the six new Boeing’s E-7A Wedgetail aircraft is set to begin in the coming years, with the first aircraft expected to be ready for operational duty by 2031. A consortium of Allies gave their approval to the project, one of NATO’s biggest-ever capability purchases, this month," it said.

The E-7 Wedgetail is an advanced early warning and control aircraft that provides situational awareness and command and control functions. Equipped with a powerful radar, the aircraft can detect hostile aircraft, missiles and ships at great distances and can direct NATO fighter jets to their targets. The United States, the United Kingdom and Turkey also either fly the Wedgetail or plan to operate it. It is based on a militarized version of the 737 jetliner.

NATO has operated a fleet of E-3A AWACS aircraft since the 1980s based at Geilenkirchen airbase in Germany. The E-7 is expected to have its main base at Geilenkirchen and could operate from several forward locations across Europe. The Wedgetail will be part of the Alliance’s future surveillance and control project which will field NATO’s next generation of surveillance systems from the mid-2030s.

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