Boeing 737 AEW & C
| Boeing 737 AEW & C / E-7 Wedgetail | |
|---|---|
 Boeing 737 AEW & C of the Turkish Air Force |
|
| Type: | AWACS - aerial reconnaissance |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
May 21, 2004 |
| Commissioning: |
November 2012 |
| Number of pieces: |
14th |
Boeing 737 AEW & C is a military variant of the Boeing 737-700ER , which is equipped as an airborne early warning and command aircraft and is used by the air forces of several countries. The extensive modifications to the original commercial aircraft include a completely new interior with workstations, various countermeasures against missile attacks (ECM) and a large number of antennas - the only visually recognizable change in addition to the smaller number of cabin windows. The most distinctive of the antennas is reserved for Northrop Grumman's Active Electronically Scanned Array all-round visibility radar .
The Royal Australian and British Royal Air Force use the designation Wedgetail for the Boeing 737 AEW & C , named after the Australian wedge-tailed eagle . The names “Boeing 737-7ES Wedgetail” or “AEW & C Wedgetail” derived therefrom, however, are incorrect. The type designation "E-737", which appears occasionally in the media, based on the Boeing E-767 , is neither officially used by Boeing nor by any operator.
technology
Series Boeing 737-700 IGW commercial aircraft, which have to be extensively modified, serve as the starting model for the 737 AEW & C. The heart of the system is an AESA radar from the American arms company Northrop Grumman. This is located in a structure mounted on the rear of the machine, which is 10.7 m long and weighs 2,950 kg. Due to the AESA technology, it is possible to ensure a 360 ° all-round view despite the rigid structure. For this purpose, four separate antennas are housed in one structure: two large, vertical surfaces that monitor 130 ° on the left and right, and two smaller surfaces on the upper edge that monitor 50 ° at the rear and front. The radar system works in the L-band (1–2 GHz), has a range of over 370 km and is able to track over 3000 sea and air targets simultaneously. The integrated IFF system can identify up to 560 km.
The interior of the 737 is completely redesigned. A mission crew of six to ten people is responsible for evaluating the radar data and managing operations. The equipment therefore includes powerful mission computers and six to ten operating consoles. A relaxation room is also available to the crew.
The further modifications include three RF -, four VHF / UHF -, UHF and four two -shave Quick - radio equipment as well as link 11 - and Link-16 -Datenlinks. The entire avionics are designed as an open system architecture and further radio systems can be installed if required.
Countries of operation
Australia
The Royal Australian Air Force appeared as the first customer for the 737 AEW & C in 2000, after having already chosen this model in July 1999 as part of the Wedgetail program. The original contract included the retrofitting of two machines by Boeing , the retrofitting of two more machines by Australian companies and the option of three more machines. In May 2004, Australia exercised the option on two of the three aircraft, thus increasing the scope of delivery to the RAAF to a total of six 737 AEW & Cs, four of which were to be equipped in Australia. BAE Systems Australia acted as a subcontractor for Boeing , the contract for maintenance was awarded to the domestic Qantas Airways .
In December 2002, work began on converting the first machine at Boeing in Seattle . The maiden flight of the 737 AEW & C took place on May 21, 2004. In July of the following year, the test program was successfully completed and in January 2006, the conversion to the AEW & C version also began in Australia. After delays, the first two aircraft were handed over in Australia on November 26, 2009. However, since the ESM electronics system was still not ready for use, the machines were initially only used for training purposes. The remaining machines were delivered from the factory with fully functional systems in 2011/2012 and the others were upgraded by Qantas at RAAF Base Amberley . The initial operating capability was achieved in November 2012.
Since the evaluation and procurement of the six 737 AEW & C machines took place as part of the "Project Wedgetail", they have since been given the type designation E-7A Wedgetail by the RAAF . Their first use was to take part in the search for the Malaysia Airlines flight 370 and the full operational capability was declared in May 2015.
They are operated by the 2nd Squadron stationed at RAAF Base Williamtown .
Qatar
Qatar announced during the DIMDEX trade fair in March 2014 that it would purchase three 737 AEW & Cs for its Qatar Emiri Air Force , but the project is on hold until further notice.
South Korea
On November 7, 2006, Boeing won the South Korean tender for the procurement of four aircraft of the type with a total of 1.6 billion US dollars , after Boeing had been selected as the only bidder three months earlier. The first Peace Eye , the local name in English, was rebuilt in the USA, arrived at its home base in early August 2011 and was officially handed over there on September 21, 2011. Machines two to four received their military equipment from Korea Aerospace Industries . Boeing delivered the fourth and final machine in October 2012.
They are operated by the 5th Tactical Air Transport Squadron on the Kimhae / Gimhae base .
Turkey
Turkey ordered four aircraft in May 2002 with the option of purchasing two more. In September of the following year, the United States granted Boeing the export license required for armaments. The first of the four Peace Eagle aircraft ( Turkish : Barış Kartalı), as it is known locally, was converted by Boeing, while the remaining three are to be converted in Turkey. Two Turkish arms companies, TUSAŞ and HAVELSAN, are involved as subcontractors in the manufacture of the aircraft. The procurement runs under the name Project Peace Eagle ( Turkish : Barış Kartalı).
On June 4, 2008, TUSAŞ completed the modification work on Barış Kartalı II (Peace Eagle 2), the second Boeing 737 AEW & C for the Turkish Air Force . In-flight testing and the technology took place at the end of 2008. It is unlikely that the option to purchase two more aircraft will be exercised. The delivery took place after delays between February 2014 and December 2015.
It is operated by the 131st Squadron ( 131st Filo ), which is stationed in Konya as part of the 3rd Squadron .
United Kingdom
The UK Royal Air Force is another future user. The contract for five E-7s as successors to the E-3D Sentry was signed on March 22, 2019. The modification to an early warning aircraft was originally intended to be carried out by the Marshall company in Cambridge . After Marshall returned this order, the modification should now take place at STS Aviation Services in Birmingham . The first copy of the Wedgetail AEW Mk.1 is scheduled to arrive at RAF Waddington in 2023 .
Possible further customers
Italy has shown strong interest in purchasing a fleet of four 737 AEW & Cs and ten of the P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, also based on the production 737 airliners. In December 2008, however, the purchase of four ATR-72 sea surveillance aircraft was surprisingly announced. The purchase of a family of aircraft based on the 737 seems unlikely.
A tender for AEW&C aircraft is ongoing in the United Arab Emirates , in which Boeing is participating with its 737 AEW&C.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 (cockpit crew) plus 6–10 (mission crew) |
| length | 33.6 m |
| span | 35.8 m |
| height | 12.5 m |
| Empty mass | 46,606 kg |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 77,110 kg |
| payload | 19,830 kg |
| drive | two CFM56-7B24 - turbofan engines , each with 118 kN thrust |
| Marching speed | 853 km / h |
| Top speed | 880 km / h |
| Range | over 6,500 km (with air refueling) |
| Duration of use | Over 9 hours (with air refueling) |
| Operational altitude | 12,500 m |
| Avionics | Northrop Grumman Multi-role Active Electronically Scanned Array - Radar |
literature
- Claudio Müller: Airplanes of the World 2007. Verlag Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Zurich 2007, ISBN 978-3-03823-322-0 .
Web links
- Official Boeing website
- Article at Airforce Technology
- Article at FlugRevue (English)
- Article at FlugRevue (English) ( Memento from May 3, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b E-7A Wedgetail. (No longer available online.) Royal Australian Air Force, archived from the original on March 28, 2013 ; accessed on March 4, 2013 .
- ↑ RAAF's E-7A Wedgetails achieve FOC, Flightglobal, May 26, 2015
- ↑ Qatar opts not to complete E-737 AEW & C deal, Janes, October 18, 2018
- ↑ Boeing Supplier Turkish Aerospace Industries Completes 1st In-Country Modification of Peace Eagle AEW & C Aircraft ( Memento from June 12, 2008 in the Internet Archive ), Boeing, June 4, 2008.
- ↑ Boeing Delivers Last AEW & C Aircraft to Turkey, Defense News, December 9, 2015
- ↑ UK signs E-7 airborne early warning contract, Flightglobal, March 22, 2019
- ↑ STS Aviation Services to convert 737 airliners to E-7 Wedgetails for UK, UK Defense Journal, 2o. May 2020