Wedgetail Trilateral Joint Vision Statement signed at RIAT

A joint vision statement has been signed at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in England between the heads of the UK’s Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and the United States Air Force, setting out their mutual intent to work collaboratively on the development of their countries’ E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft.

The Wedgetail is the most capable and effective airborne early warning and control platform in operation today. Both the UK and USA have or will replace Boeing E-3s with the E-7; the RAAF was launch customer and has operated the E-7A Wedgetail for more than a decade.

The trilateral agreement is a commitment by the three nations to work together for mutual benefit through cooperation relating to Wedgetail capability development, evaluation and testing, interoperability, sustainment, operations, training, and safety.

“Collaboration and interoperability are critical to our warfighting advantage, said USAF Chief of Staff CQ Brown Jr. “The relationship between the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States is more robust than ever, and we share a mutual understanding of the challenges we face in the air domain and the need to address them.”

“This joint vision statement is a testament to the close relationship shared historically by our three Air Forces,” said Chief of the RAAF, Air Marshal Robert Chipman. “I look forward to continuing our joint interests in this versatile and impressive capability.”