n many ways, the UK
leads the way in the
art of airborne ISTAR in
Europe. As an important military
power, there’s an enduring
requirement for the strategic
and tactical knowledge that
only spy planes can bring.
When the Cold War ended, the
UK armed forces switched much
of their focus to the Middle East,
beginning with Iraq. Then came
more than a decade of operations
in Afghanistan and a campaign in
Libya in 2011. When the last British
combat elements left Afghanistan
in October 2014, military minds
switched to defeating so-called
Islamic State and other jihadi
militias in Iraq and Syria. Now,
with the tit-for-tat seizure of a
British-flagged oil tanker by the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps in the Strait of Hormuz in
July, thoughts are turning towards
Iran’s intentions and capabilities.
In supporting all these operations,
the UK has built up extensive aerial
reconnaissance skills. You simply
can’t send military platforms and
personnel into conflict without
understanding the potential of your
enemies. Now Britain is set to top
the European aerial intelligence-
gathering league again after a
decade without a maritime patrol
aircraft or a modern, serviceable
fleet of airborne early warning and
control (AEW&C) aircraft.AEW&C
This time last year,
there was a good deal
of speculation over the
acquisition of a new AEW&C
platform for the RAF. The tired
and outdated five-strong fleet of
Sentry AEW1s that entered service
beginning in 1991 had never
received a major upgrade and was
becoming increasingly unreliable. It
was one of the worst-kept secrets
that the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail
would eventually be selected and,
on March 22 this year, the MOD
ordered five examples at a cost
of £1.5bn (US$1.98bn). The then
Secretary of State for Defence
Gavin Williamson said: “The E-7
provides a technological edge in an
increasingly complex battlespace,
allowing our ships and aircraft
to track and target adversaries
more effectively than ever. We
will operate state-of-the-art F-35
jets and world-class Type 26
warships, and this announcement
will help us work even more
closely [with our allies] to tackle
the global threats we face.”The first aircraft will be delivered
to the UK in 2023 and the last
should arrive in 2026. Three of the
RAF’s E-7s will be brand new, while
the other two have been sourced
second hand by Boeing. Speaking
at the Royal International Air Tattoo
in July, a Boeing spokesman said it
was company policy not to reveal
the original source of these former
737 airliners. Modifications will be
carried out by Marshall Aerospace
and Defence Group at Cambridge.
Once the E-7 fleet is fully
operational, the RAF will
field the most capable
AEW&C force in Europe.
There aren’t too many other such
platforms operating in the region.
France continues to upgrade its
five E-3F AWACS, while NATO has
outfitted its 14 E-3As with new
flight decks and avionics suites to
replace the 1970s-era analogue
systems. However, it seems the
tactical systems in the rear of the
Sentries went untouched. Boeing
was awarded a US$257m contract
in 2014 to integrate five full-
colour digital glass displays with
customisable radar, navigation
and engine data. The work was
launched on a pattern aircraft
in the US during August 2016,
before the effort was transferred
to Airbus at Manching, Germany.
The last aircraft was redelivered
to NATO in December 2018.
The three other AEW&C
operators in Europe are Sweden
(two Saab 340/S 100D Erieyes
in service since 1998, which
could ultimately be replaced by
the Saab GlobalEye in the mid-
2020s); Turkey (four E-7T Peace
Eagles delivered by 2014, now
undergoing upgrade with Turkish
Aerospace); and Greece (four EMB-
145H Erieyes that became fully
operational by February 2009).MPAs
Just over three years ago, on July
11, 2016, the UK MOD ordered
nine Boeing P-8A Poseidons
after six years without a maritime
patrol aircraft (MPA). There was
some debate at the time as to
whether this was the best option,
with the Saab Swordfish also a
possibility. But Britain’s established
military relationship with the US
swung the decision. The first RAF
Poseidon MRA1 flew on July 12,
in a shakedown flight without any
mission systems on board (see
United Kingdom News, p8-9).
The aircraft is expected to move
to Naval Air Station Jacksonville,
Florida, later this year, where upISTAR future
I
Above: The second Pakistan Navy ATR 72-212A MPA, serial 78, in the
static line-up at the Paris Air Show. The two new ATR 72s are replacing 27
Squadron’s Fokker F27s. Note the dummy MU90 Impact lightweight torpedo
carried on the forward fuselage external pylon. Alan WarnesBelow: The fi rst
of the RAF’s new fl eet of nine Poseidon MRA1 maritime patrol aircraft takes
to the air from Boeing’s Renton, Washington facility on July 12, in the hands
of company test pilots. Critical testing took place during the 90-minute fl ight
before the aircraft touched down and moved to the next phase of preparation
before customer delivery – installation of military systems. Boeinghttp://www.airforcesmonthly.com #378 September 2019 // 31Airforces
Intelligence‘In association with ....’airforcesintel.com30-34 Intel AFM Sep2019.indd 31 8/5/2019 9:39:13 AM