AWACS

SpaceX wins $4.16B Space Force contract to detect airborne moving targets

"While this OTA agreement establishes initial SB-AMTI capability, the Space Force anticipates issuing multiple awards in the coming year ," the service said today.

NATO revamps air surveillance approach for the ‘cost-war’ of low-flying drones, missiles

NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (ACT) Adm. Pierre Vandier told Breaking Defense that lessons from the Ukraine war and the Iran conflict are driving an air surveillance reframe.

With funding flush, Space Force hopes to speed satellites to track aircraft, missiles

Gen. Chance Saltzman, Space Force chief, said the work already done to design a satellite system for tracking ground targets should also help speed AMTI capabilities to orbit.

Space Force testing space-based sensors to track airborne targets

Space-based capabilities could put current aerial tracking platforms in question, but top military brass have argued for options "from whatever domain or platform or system that comes [in]."

Space Force vice wants sats to track aircraft by early 2030s

One of the key challenges for tracking enemy aircraft from space is that airplanes and drones move much faster than tanks, trucks and ships; confounded by the fact that satellites themselves also move around the Earth extremely fast.

AFRL seeks ‘advanced’ ISR sensors, including for moving targets

Under the Science and Technology Applied RF Systems program, estimated to cost a total of nearly $95 million over six years, AFRL is looking to award up to three indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts.

‘Political decisions’: Saab CEO says NATO rushed E-3 replacement decision in favor of E-7 Wedgetail

“We were asked to put in our offer and then they [the NATO Support and Procurement Agency] didn't really go into discussion with us, because they had already decided they had to go and buy Wedgetail," Micael Johansson, CEO at Saab told Breaking Defense.

Boeing aims for annual output of 6 E-7 Wedgetails to fill global early warning ‘gap’

As Breaking Defense toured Boeing's Seattle area facilities where the E-7 radar plane will take shape, company officials talked about getting the bird in the air — and their vision for what it can do.

Boeing awarded $1.2 billion for E-7A Wedgetail production deal

The Air Force previously provided notice it would award the contract to Boeing in a sole-source acquisition. The first aircraft is scheduled to arrive in fiscal 2027.

Preparing for budget delay, Air Force asks Congress for relief on E-7 Wedgetail

“That new start reprogramming would give us the flexibility to potentially speed it up somewhat,” said Steven Wert, who leads the Air Force's Program Executive Office Digital. “It's not going to be a dramatic speed up, but we're doing everything we can.”

Let the Air Force let go of the E-3 ‘Sentry’

Congress is worried about creating a capability gap – but FDD’s Bradley Bowman and Maj. Brian Leitzke write that it already exists. Time and money, they say, would be better spent racing towards the E-3's replacement.

Congress is right: Accelerate the E-7 Wedgetail buy

The Air Force can't wait when it comes to modernizing command and control, writes the Mitchell Institute's Douglas Birkey.

Lawmakers press Air Force on speeding up purchase of Boeing E-7 Wedgetail

"Getting the airplanes is about a two-year process, and then modifying them is another two year process," Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said Tuesday. "There are things that we could do, however, to maybe get access to aircraft earlier one way or another.”

F-35 cuts, F-15 boost, and E-3 replacement: Air Force’s $170B budget makes big moves in FY23

According to two sources with knowledge of the matter, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall had tasked the service’s budget corps to consider cancelling the F-15EX. Instead, it will receive a plus-up in the FY23 request.