This marks the second European deployment for the Australian E-7A Wedgetail in recent years, following a mission from November 2023 to April 2024, when operations were conducted from Ramstein Air Base in Germany. On this occasion, the aircraft will operate from Polish military airfields for the first time, representing a significant development in NATO cooperation.
The decision to deploy the E-7A Wedgetail to Poland was announced at the NATO Summit held in The Hague in June. The Australian aircraft will support both the NATO E-3 Sentry fleet and regional capabilities, including Poland’s Saab 340AEW aircraft.
“This deployment offers an opportunity for NATO specialists to familiarise themselves with the platform,” officials stated, referencing the upcoming procurement of six Wedgetail aircraft by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) on behalf of European partners. The purchase aims to begin replacing the ageing fleet of E-3 Sentry aircraft currently in use.
Australia operates six E-7A Wedgetail aircraft, which are based on the Boeing 737NG commercial airframe. The platform’s core capability is provided by the Northrop Grumman MESA multifunction radar system.
