E-7 Wedgetail

The House largely supports a $1.5 billion funding move by the White House to acquire the E-7 Wedgetail. The initiative aims to allocate resources for this advanced surveillance aircraft.

The House Appropriations Committee approved $1.55 billion to revive the Air Force's E-7 Wedgetail program by reallocating funds from the Navy's E-2D Hawkeye account and a classified Air Force line, though it restored the Navy's funding after opposition. The money will fund E-7 prototypes and development, aiming to replace the retiring E-3 battle management aircraft.

The House appropriators released a $1 trillion defense bill for FY27. The bill includes restored funding for the E-7 Wedgetail program following Defense Department leaders' intent to continue it.

Canada has announced plans to purchase Saab’s GlobalEye early warning aircraft from Sweden instead of a competing Boeing option, aiming to reduce reliance on US defense firms. The decision was made by Prime Minister Mark Carney, highlighting a strategic shift in defense procurement.

The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) remains awaiting an updated funding request for the E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning aircraft. The delay suggests ongoing uncertainty in the procurement process for this critical defense asset.

Australian Defence Chief Admiral David Johnston confirmed that personnel operating the E-7 Wedgetail spy plane in the Middle East are restricting intelligence sharing with the US to ensure it's only used for defensive purposes. The deployment of the aircraft continues as part of Australia's military operations in the region.