RAF flies two Boeing E-7 Wedgetails together as flight testing advances

Two Royal Air Force Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft were flying at the same time on Thursday afternoon, the first time the UK has had both its new surveillance aircraft airborne at once.

The Royal Air Force posted, “RAF Wedgetail testing continues at Lossiemouth. WT002 has completed testing at MOD Boscombe Down and joins WT001 for more ground and flight evaluation as the programme moves towards its next stage.”

WT001 flew from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland to the South West bearing the callsign Boeing 31. At the same time, WT002 flew from MOD Boscombe Down with the callsign Boeing 38. WT002 was still being outfitted by STS Aviation at Birmingham Airport earlier this year, but now it appears to have moved onto its flight test programme.

#RAF Royal Air Force Boeing E-7A Wedgetail AEW.1 2x #43C97A WT001 – BOEING 31 #43C97B WT002 – BOEING 38 Both RAF Wedgetail AEW.1’s are currently airborne this afternoon. WT001 made its way down from Lossiemouth for the orbit areas in the South West, while WT002 has departed MoD Boscombe Down. This is the first time both aircraft have flown at the same time. Two thirds of the entire future AWACS fleet. @MATA_osint @UKDefJournal @UKForcesTracker

— Armchair Admiral 🇬🇧 (@ArmchairAdml) October 8, 2026

Unlike the large rotating domes of the RAF’s now-retired E-3 Sentries (now flying for Chile), the Wedgetail’s radar has no moving parts. This allows the operator to concentrate the radar on particular sectors of interest, while still scanning elsewhere.

The RAF’s fleet of E-7 Wedgetails

The RAF is ordering three E-7 Wedgetails to replace the E-3 Sentry aircraft, with the option for another two.

According to Planespotters.net, the airframe WT001 was built in 2010 and was a Boeing Business Jet that flew as a VIP aircraft for Deer Jet Beijing from 2012 to 2019 before being acquired by Boeing Capital Corporation and being acquired by the RAF in 2021 for conversion. The airframe is now 16 years old.

WT002 is also a Boeing Business Jet built in 2011 and has flown as a VIP aircraft for Hong Kong Jet and Business Aviation Services Guernsey. It was also acquired by the RAF for conversion in 2021.

The third airframe, WT003, is a new-build aircraft that first flew in 2022 before being delivered directly to the RAF for conversion.

Entry into service targeted for late 2026

The RAF is expected to announce the formal entry into service of the Wedgetail in late 2026. A recent milestone came in May 2026 when WT001 flew to RAF Lossiemouth for the first time with a mixed RAF and Boeing UK crew for final testing before entry into service.

The third aircraft remains under conversion at STS Aviation in Birmingham.

The UK originally ordered five E-7 Wedgetail AEW Mk1 aircraft in 2019, but this was reduced to three in 2021 as a cost-saving measure. However, the UK has retained five Northrop Grumman MESA radars, with two functioning as spares.

The 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) explicitly recommended procuring further E-7s “when funding allows.” As of now, there are no firm commitments to purchasing additional Wedgetails, although the prospect of cost-sharing with NATO allies has been raised.