TD's is correct in the last line, however one item about the whole E-7 sole-source contention bugs me to the core: The assertion that the E-7 is the only AEW aircraft in production. It bugs me because even the E-7 is no longer in production.

Mini-thread: https://twitter.com/thinkdefence/status/1052827725738725376

I want to make one thing clear first: An E-7 purchase would be a huge uplift to the RAF and I am not advocating one platform over another. I particularly like the proven UAV integration. I want to address a fallacy and highlight another bad behaviour driving a decision. 2/

The E-7 is built on Boeing's 737-700IGW. This was announced back in 1997. I remember as I was at the CFM announcement where a young-looking Tom Lindberg was co-announcing the excellent BBJ aircraft version as well. 3/

When a new CivJet is converted for military use, its life begins as any other in the Civ factory where it is completed as a "Green". 4/

Now the IGW is not the latest version of the 737. It's not even close. There's the 700ER, 800, 900, MAX... IGW's haven't been built for Civ use since the mid-2000's. The last IGW built was in ~2011 for the Turkish. E-7's. 5/

When Boeing send an IGW through the line, it's an exception. The last couple had to cannibalise near-unused parts from existing aircraft. The 737-700IGW aircraft are not in production. The production line is not "hot". 6/

After the "Green" is built, it is shipped off the integrator to fit the systems and equipment that all the base aircraft to "achieve it's final form". 7/

The last E-7 that Boeing integrated onto a Green 737 was in ~2012, again for the Turkish Air Force. There may have been some post-delivery support but that's still ~5 years ago. 8/

The integrated E-7 aircraft is not in production. The production line is not "hot". 9/

Further, in his response to the Defence Committee yesterday, Air Vice-Marshal Richard Knighton confirmed that integrators for a UK E-7 were being sought, dangling the carrot that UK industry would get involved... 10/

UK Integrators will have never integrated an E-7 Wedgetail in their history. 11/

In summary, the E-7 base aircraft was released 20 years ago, was last built 5 years ago, was last integrated with systems 5 years ago, nobody has integrated the systems for 5 years, and no UK company has ever done it. 12/

Compare and contrast with Saab's GlobalEye offer. I raise this only as the Defence Committee explicitly did so yesterday. 13/

The base aircraft is a Bombardier Global 6000. This part-UK (Belfast, Derby) built aircraft is in production, in its current form, right now. The manufacturer are current with their aircraft. 14/

The integrated systems are in production in Sweden, the US and the UK, in their current forms, right now. The integrators are current with their systems. 15/

The integrated system is in service with 5 different operators, with the whole solution entering service with a 6th later this year. /16

The GlobalEye is in production. The production line is "hot". /17

The worst behaviour here on display here is that 6 month competition was started, and cancelled, in February. Had it completed, the MOD would have solid information now to make a good decision as we speak...

This is the biggest issue with this whole contentious situation.

/18

Now, there may be many reasons (denied publicly by SoSD yesterday, but maybe that's for next week's classified briefing) for going with the E-7, Five Eyes reasons would sell the platform to me alone, but saying it is the only game in town to meet a 2022 ISD is not one.

/FIN