Defence & Space

Patent for New Ukrainian Howitzer Bohdana 6.0 Registered

The Kramatorsk Heavy Machinery Building Plant has received a patent for the development of a new 155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer designated…

2025-07-07 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

LYOFOOD Pierogi Become First Polish Dish Eaten in Space

Yesterday, during a live broadcast from the International Space Station, our astronaut Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, together with Axiom-4 mission commander Peggy…

2025-07-07 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

SIPRI: Nuclear risks grow as new arms race looms

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute published a report entitled SIPRI Yearbook 2025, which, among other things, discusses the issue of…

2025-06-16 | Redakcja | 10 minutes

Polish 35 mm SA-35 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun with PIT-Radwar

During the recent MSPO trade fair in Kielce, the company PIT-Radwar presented its proposal for a 35 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun…

2025-06-13 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 13 minutes

Patent for New Ukrainian Howitzer Bohdana 6.0 Registered

The Kramatorsk Heavy Machinery Building Plant has received a patent for the development of a new 155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer designated…

2025-07-07 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Rheinmetall wins major order for artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall Denel Munition wins major 155mm ammunition contract. Order worth several hundred million euros, deliveries from 2025 until 2027. It…

2025-07-04 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

SKW Cryptographic Security Certificate for Polish Comp@n Radio Set from the WB Group

The WB Group announced that the Comp@n system radio set, developed by its subsidiary Radmor, along with the Cryptographic Document Management…

2025-06-14 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Advancing multi-domain EW operations: Rohde & Schwarz unveils latest innovations at AOC Europe

Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates the next generation of SIGINT/EW systems, sensor fusion and signal analysis solutions, designed to meet the evolving…

2025-05-12 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Autonomous and Unmanned Systems by Łukasiewicz – PIAP at the OPEX 2025 Training Ground in Italy

During the HEDI OPEX 2025 experimental campaign at the CEPOLISPE training ground in Italy, the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Industrial…

2025-06-28 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Paris Air Show 2025: Debut of Foudre – the French HIMARS

As previously announced by Turgis & Gaillard, the 55th International Paris Air and Space Show served as the venue for the…

2025-06-23 | Radosław Niesobski | 2 minutes

Patent for New Ukrainian Howitzer Bohdana 6.0 Registered

The Kramatorsk Heavy Machinery Building Plant has received a patent for the development of a new 155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer designated…

2025-07-07 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

The Polish Armaments Agency has concluded the tender for coastal surveillance radars

The Polish Armaments Agency has concluded the tender for the delivery of up to 18 sets of coastal 3D radars for…

2025-07-05 | Rafał Muczyński | 2 minutes

Bayraktar TB2 and FlyEye Drones to Support Polish Police Manhunt for Killer Near Limanowa

The Bayraktar TB2 drone and FlyEye systems will support the Polish police in the search for 57-year-old Tadeusz Duda, suspected…

2025-06-30 | Rafał Muczyński | 5 minutes

Galvion’s European Production Hub in Poland is formally opened by the Ambassador of Canada tothe Republic of Poland

Canadian company Galvion announced that the Canadian Ambassador to Poland, Catherine Godin, officially opened the European Production Hub in Gdańsk.

2025-06-26 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

The Polish Armaments Agency has concluded the tender for coastal surveillance radars

The Polish Armaments Agency has concluded the tender for the delivery of up to 18 sets of coastal 3D radars for…

2025-07-05 | Rafał Muczyński | 2 minutes

Rheinmetall wins major order for artillery ammunition

Rheinmetall Denel Munition wins major 155mm ammunition contract. Order worth several hundred million euros, deliveries from 2025 until 2027. It…

2025-07-04 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

East Shield and the Baltic Defense Line: Cooperation and Investment in Defense Are the Cornerstone of Europe’s Security

East Shield, the Baltic Defense Line, the integration of available deterrence and defense capabilities, and EU defense funding were the…

2025-07-02 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Russia Loses World’s Largest Helicopter, Mi-26, in Ukrainian Attack on Crimea

The Security Service of Ukraine reported that during a special operation at the Kirovske military airfield in occupied Crimea, a Pantsir-S1 air…

2025-06-29 | Rafał Muczyński | 4 minutes

LYOFOOD Pierogi Become First Polish Dish Eaten in Space

Yesterday, during a live broadcast from the International Space Station, our astronaut Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, together with Axiom-4 mission commander Peggy…

2025-07-07 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Finland Ministry of Defense selects ICEYE for space-based intelligence and surveillance capabilities

The Polish-Finnish company ICEYE and the Finnish Ministry of Defense have signed a Letter of Intent that enables the Finnish Defense…

2025-06-27 | Redakcja | 3 minutes
Shooting

CZ Shooting Team athletes take home 13 medals from the CZ Extreme Euro Open

Sport shooters representing Ceska zbrojovka brought back six gold, four silver, and three bronze medals from Hodonice, along with four…

2025-07-04 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Upgraded Z8i Scope from SWAROVSKI OPTIK

Swarovski Optik, the Austrian optics manufacturer with nearly 80 years of tradition, has unveiled an upgraded version of its Z8i…

2025-07-03 | Mariusz Piwowar | 3 minutes

Upgraded Z8i Scope from SWAROVSKI OPTIK

Swarovski Optik, the Austrian optics manufacturer with nearly 80 years of tradition, has unveiled an upgraded version of its Z8i…

2025-07-03 | Mariusz Piwowar | 3 minutes

Streamlight introduces the SL-SideSaddle

Streamlight, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting tools, announces the SL-SideSaddle series, a new hands-free lighting solution built for outdoor adventure…

2025-07-01 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

IFRE 2025: Maskpol Showcases Protective Suits and Gas Masks

Maskpol, a company within the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), presented part of its product range—protective suits and gas masks—at the 5th…

2025-06-17 | Michał Ihnatów | 2 minutes

UF PRO Introduces Waist/Flex Belts to Its Product Line

UF PRO, a Slovenian manufacturer of professional apparel and part of the Mehler Systems group, is adding a new accessory to its lineup…

2025-06-06 | Michał Ihnatów | 2 minutes

CZ Shooting Team athletes take home 13 medals from the CZ Extreme Euro Open

Sport shooters representing Ceska zbrojovka brought back six gold, four silver, and three bronze medals from Hodonice, along with four…

2025-07-04 | Redakcja | 4 minutes

Enforce Tac 2025 starts on February 24th

Enforce Tac is an international trade fair aimed at law enforcement officers, experts from government agencies, and representatives of the…

2025-01-30 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

CZ Introduces the New CZ P-10 C PORTED Model

CZ P-10 C PORTED – a compact pistol with tamed recoil thanks to an integrated compensator.

2025-07-02 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Meprolight MMX3 and MMX4 – Lightweight Magnifiers with Quality Optics

The Mepro MMX3 and MMX4, a new line of compact magnifiers from the Israeli manufacturer. How do they perform in practice and…

2025-06-27 | Krzysztof Ptak | 8 minutes

Paris Air Show 2025: Bayraktar TB3 Debuts

The 55th edition of the International Paris Air and Space Show, held in the French capital, provided an opportunity for…

2025-06-19 | Radosław Niesobski | 3 minutes

Setting Up a Shooting Belt: An Example with Clawgear

To assist with shooting training and beyond, various belts and gear configurations have been developed and customized to suit individual needs. It’s…

2024-11-28 | Łukasz Kołodziejski | 14 minutes

Over 100% increase in gun permits in Poland in 2024

The Polish Police have released statistical data on firearm permits issued in 2024. An increasing number of Poles now hold…

2025-02-20 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

Firearms In Poland 2023: Number of permits continues to grow

The National Police Headquarters has released statistics regarding the number of firearm permits and firearms themselves in the hands of…

2024-02-17 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

5 Best Value ATN Rifle Scopes Under €1500

ATN is a leading manufacturer of daytime optics, smart night vision, and thermal vision technology. The innovative features and ergonomic designs…

2022-11-11 | Redakcja | 8 minutes

MILMAG Visits Grand Power

Grand Power is a Slovak manufacturer of the acknowledged good quality firearms. Take part in our guided tour with English subtitles.

2022-05-23 | Redakcja | 1 minutes

Meprolight MMX3 and MMX4 – Lightweight Magnifiers with Quality Optics

The Mepro MMX3 and MMX4, a new line of compact magnifiers from the Israeli manufacturer. How do they perform in practice and…

2025-06-27 | Krzysztof Ptak | 8 minutes

Streamlight TLR-7 HL-X – a Bayonet of Light for Your Weapon

The devil’s not so scary once you shine a light on him—and he’s certainly easier to neutralize in the spotlight. A weapon-mounted flashlight…

2025-06-09 | Anna Mielczarek | 6 minutes

EOTECH Holographic Sight – History, Technology, Practice

The holographic sight is a device known for nearly 30 years and used by professionals around the world. A favorite sight of many…

2024-09-02 | Michał Gaweł | 12 minutes

The contract for the first two E-7A Wedgetails for the USAF

The U.S. Department of Defense has signed a contract worth over 2.5 billion USD with Boeing for the production of the first two E-7A Wedgetail early warning and control aircraft, as successors to the E-3G Sentry (AWACS).

On Friday, August 9, 2024, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center of the USAF Logistics Command from Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense, signed a contract valued at 2,560,846,860 USD with Boeing Military Aircraft (a division of Boeing Defense, Space, and Security) from Tukwila, Washington, for the production of the first two E-7A Wedgetail early warning and control aircraft.

Image: Boeing

Under the contract, Boeing will deliver two E-7A Wedgetail prototypes in a configuration representative of the production variant, in accordance with the operational requirements of the U.S. Air Force (USAF), with a completion date set for August 28, 2029, as part of the E-7A Rapid Prototyping phase. As stated in a separate Boeing press release, the contract also includes life-cycle development work, training, and operational support.

Global operators are proving that the E-7 AEW&C is a critical node for air superiority in the modern battlespace,” said Boeing Vice President and E-7 Program Manager Stu Voboril. “In our partnership with the U.S. Air Force, we’re focused on stable, predictable execution to deliver crucial mission-ready capabilities today. This will put us on the path for the long-term growth of the aircraft and mission.

Our customers have an urgent need for integrated battlespace awareness and battle management,” said Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager of Boeing Defense, Space & Security’s Mobility, Surveillance & Bombers division. “The E-7A is the airspace lynchpin to continuously scan the skies, command and control the battlespace, and integrate all-domain data providing a decisive advantage against threats. With our open systems architecture approach, capabilities can be rapidly inserted over time as threats evolve.

This is an annex to the contract in the form of Undefinitized Contract Actions (UCA), which originally had a maximum value of 1.2 billion USD, and it extends the contract to the previously mentioned amount. The base contract was signed on February 28, 2023 (at which time the first funds of 134 million USD were also allocated).

The Boeing’s design was identified as the preferred choice by the U.S. Air Force (Department of the Air Force) on April 26, 2022, as part of a market research study initiated on February 8 of the same year. On October 20, 2022, Boeing was also commissioned to provide detailed information about the E-7A in the context of a potential replacement for the E-3G.

A total of 26 aircraft may eventually be ordered. In the fiscal year 2023 budget request, the commencement of the retirement of 15 out of 31 E-3G Sentry aircraft was approved, which was intended to secure funding for the purchase of the first E-7A aircraft. It is anticipated that Boeing will subsequently receive two large-scale production orders, including the first for approximately 16 aircraft in 2025.

The 27 E-3G Sentry aircraft are under the command of Air Combat Command, while 4 are under the command of the USAF Pacific Command. Their operational readiness is estimated at 45%.

Interestingly, as early as February 2021, Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach, the commander of PACAF (Pacific Air Forces), recommended the purchase of E-7A aircraft. The platform was also praised by then-USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. In December 2021, USAF Secretary Frank Kendall confirmed his support for their acquisition, and at the beginning of 2022, an Australian E-7A participated in the Red Flag 22-1 exercise in Nevada, where it collaborated with F-35A and F-22A aircraft.

The E-7A, or more precisely the Boeing 737 AEW&C, configured similarly to the 737-700ER, is equipped with a Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar, operating in the L-band. This radar can detect objects at distances of up to 600 km (for high-altitude targets) and up to 370 km (for low-flying, harder-to-detect aircraft). It can track up to 180 targets simultaneously, guiding other aircraft to intercept 24 of them. The radar can also detect surface targets the size of a missile frigate from a distance of over 240 km. In the mode of detecting electromagnetic signals (Electronic Intelligence, ELINT), the E-7A has an effective range of over 850 km when operating at an altitude of 9,000 meters. The radar was designed by Northrop Grumman.

The E-7A aircraft are currently in service with Australia, which has 6 units, as well as South Korea (4 units known as the E-737 Peace Eye, with plans to purchase 2 more) and Turkey (4 units known as the E-7T Peace Eagle). Soon, they will be joined by the United Kingdom (3 units with an option for 2 more), where they will be designated as Wedgetail AEW1, and NATO as part of the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) program, with an initial order of 6 units.

From October 2023 to April 2024, one Australian aircraft provided support to NATO allies, conducting flights over Poland as part of Operation Kudu and was stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

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