NATO renews fleet of reconnaissance aircraft
NATO is renewing its fleet of radar reconnaissance aircraft stationed in Germany. Germany and other allies gave the green light for the purchase of six Boeing E-7A Wedgetail aircraft, according to information released on Wednesday. The first of these should be operational by 2031 at the latest.
"Reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft are critical to NATO's collective defense and I welcome the Allies' commitment to investing in high-end capabilities," commented NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. This investment in state-of-the-art technology demonstrates the strength of transatlantic defense cooperation.
On request, NATO would not comment on the exact costs of renewing the aircraft fleet. However, figures from the British government, which recently put the cost of the planned purchase of three aircraft for its own air force at 1.89 billion pounds (2.17 billion euros), provide an indication.
Main base in Geilenkirchen
To date, more than three decades old Boeing 707-based aircraft have been used for NATO's airborne radar system, also known as Awacs (Airborne Early Warning and Control System). They are currently mainly used to monitor the airspace in eastern Europe. The fleet's main base is the NATO airbase in Geilenkirchen near Aachen. It currently consists of 14 aircraft and has been involved in all major NATO missions to date, for example in the fight against terrorism and in the Kosovo war.
With their mushroom-shaped radar structure, the Awacs are able to locate and identify other aircraft at a distance of more than 400 kilometers. The aircraft can pass this information on to all others in the airspace that are equipped accordingly. This means that they can also be used as flying command posts.
The new Boeing model was originally developed for the Australian Air Force and is already being used by Turkey. It is based on a militarized version of the 737 passenger jet.
Source: www.dpa.com
