On Wednesday, July 30, 2025, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft landed at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask (32. BLT). As previously announced, the aircraft will conduct allied support missions over NATO’s eastern flank.
Photo: RAAF
Yesterday afternoon, flight tracking data from the commercial ADS-B Exchange platform showed the transit of an Australian aircraft, registration A30-003, which was conducting a direct intercontinental flight from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, USA, to the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask, where it landed at 16:16.
This marks the first visit of this type of aircraft to Poland. Previously, between October 2023 and April 2024, as part of Operation Kudu, one of the Australian Wedgetails was stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, also conducting missions over NATO’s eastern flank. During that period, it flew approximately 250 hours, with air missions averaging five hours each. Some of those missions were conducted in Polish airspace. The deployment typically includes both aircrew and ground personnel, totaling around 100 people, a sign of the growing military cooperation between Poland and Australia.
The E-7A Wedgetail is now expected to be based in Poland for three months, until the end of October. The decision to deploy the aircraft to Poland was announced on June 25 during the NATO Summit in The Hague. Its imminent arrival was confirmed yesterday by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, in the context of the conclusion of a mission by six British Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 multirole fighters stationed at the 22nd Air Base in Malbork.
Currently, U.S. forces maintain contingents in Łask and Powidz as part of NATO allied support, with additional backing from Swedish JAS 39C Gripens. This summer, German Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoons are also expected to deploy to Poland. According to earlier announcements, the second half of the year will also see the arrival of F-35A Lightning II jets from two allied nations: the Netherlands (from September 1 to December 1) and Norway (later in the fall, with exact dates yet to be specified).
E-7A Wedgetail
It is worth recalling that the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operates a total of six E-7A Wedgetail aircraft. In addition, similar platforms are in service with the South Korean Air Force (four units known as the B-767 Peace Eye, with approval granted for four more) and the Turkish Air Force (four units known as the E-7T Peace Eagle). Soon, the United Kingdom will join the operator group with three aircraft (to be designated Wedgetail AEW1). NATO is also acquiring the type under the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) program, initially with six aircraft. However, they are intended to replace 14 aging E-3A Sentry AWACS eventually. The United States is likely to cancel its previously planned purchase of 26 units.
The E-7A, or more precisely the Boeing 737 AEW&C, is based on a configuration similar to the 737-700ER and is equipped with a Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar operating in the L-band. This radar can detect high-altitude targets at ranges up to 600 km and low-flying, hard-to-detect aircraft at ranges of up to 370 km. It can simultaneously track up to 180 targets and guide interceptors toward 24 of them. The radar is also capable of detecting surface targets, such as a missile frigate, at distances exceeding 240 km. In electronic intelligence (ELINT) mode, the E-7A can detect electromagnetic signals at ranges over 850 km while operating at an altitude of 9,000 meters. The radar was developed by Northrop Grumman.
❗️E-7A Wedgetail leci do Polski ❗️
Do 32. Bazy Lotnictwa Taktycznego w Łasku #EPLK zmierza obecnie ✈️ Boeing E-7A Wedgetail "A30-003" Australijskich Sił Powietrznych #RAAF 🇦🇺. 1/3
#POLMILRADAR pic.twitter.com/7I3TJAFGd4
— Polish Military Radar 🇵🇱📡✈️ (@PolishMilRadar) July 30, 2025
UPDATE
The Polish Armed Forces Operational Command (DO RSZ) has confirmed the start of the Australian aircraft’s mission in Poland:
“The Royal Australian Air Force’s E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft is beginning its first mission in Poland, aimed at strengthening the protection of NATO’s eastern flank airspace. In the coming weeks, it will carry out operations from the airfield of the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask.”
“Equipped with the MESA radar, the E-7A provides airspace surveillance and supports allied air forces in conducting operations. The presence of the Australian contingent in Poland is a clear signal of solidarity and shared commitment to regional security.”
✈️ Samolot wczesnego ostrzegania i dowodzenia E-7A Wedgetail Królewskich Sił Powietrznych Australii @AusAirForce 🇦🇺 rozpoczyna swoją pierwszą misję w Polsce, której celem jest wzmocnienie ochrony przestrzeni powietrznej wschodniej flanki @NATO. Przez kolejne tygodnie będzie on… pic.twitter.com/5a7mMTOARJ
— Dowództwo Operacyjne RSZ (@DowOperSZ) July 31, 2025