Boeing will convert two E-7 Wedgetail prototypes in Birmingham, the first U.S. military aircraft built in Britain in decades as debate over AEW plans endures.
Boeing will transfer two 737-700 airframes to STS Aviation in Birmingham for E-7 conversion in 2026, marking a rare case of U.S. Air Force aircraft work on British soil. The UK Ministry of Defence hailed the deal as a milestone, saying it will create more than 150 new jobs in Birmingham, secure 190 more across the UK, and add over £36 million to the economy.
The work will use STS Aviation’s established conversion line—the only facility worldwide certified for E-7 modifications—to transform Boeing 737-700 commercial airframes into Wedgetail AEW&C platforms for the U.S. Air Force. Boeing is producing the two “green” airframes in Renton, Washington, for shipment to Birmingham in 2026, leveraging the same line now converting Royal Air Force examples.
For the UK, the contract is both an economic and strategic win. Defence Secretary John Healey called it evidence of Britain’s “world-leading defence industry,” noting that it strengthens national security and supports hundreds of jobs. More than 40 UK suppliers will contribute, including two new engineering facilities at RAF Lossiemouth.
For Boeing, using the Birmingham line avoids the cost and delay of expanding U.S. conversion capacity and taps an already proven industrial base. STS has already converted one RAF 737-700 to E-7 configuration and has two more in various stages of assembly.
But there is still some dispute over Washington's long-term commitment to the E-7. Pentagon officials continue to weigh whether future wide-area surveillance should migrate to space-based systems rather than manned AEW aircraft. Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defence for the United States, has said he is not sure about satellite constellations and other airborne ideas like the E-2 Hawkeye.
Congress has stepped in to keep the program alive. A Republican spending patch reported by Politico funds continued E-7 prototyping, while House lawmakers have advanced amendments to prevent cancellation.
The UK work is a tactical win for British industry and for Boeing’s immediate production plans, but it does not settle the core U.S. strategic debate. The two prototypes may be completed, yet the final decision on whether America’s future airborne early warning will be spaceborne or airborne is still to come.
This is not the first time the UK has built aircraft for U.S. forces. Although the MoD claimed it was a first in over 50 years, the Short C-23 Sherpa—developed in Belfast and delivered to the U.S. Air Force starting in 1984—was a more recent example.
Author: Özgür Ekşi
