Cambridge-based Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group has signed a contract with Boeing (www.boeing.com) to commence preparatory modification work on the E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) programme.

Boeing has selected Marshall to undertake the complex modification work on five Boeing E-7 aircraft for the Royal Air Force.

The programme will see Marshallturn 737 Next-Generation aircraft into E-7s; this includes adding the Northrop Grumman Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) surveillance radar, plus communication and mission computer systems.

The work — due to commence early in 2021 — will sustain hundreds of highly skilled jobs in the Cambridge area.

The E-7 will modernise the UK’s airborne battle management fleet and provide ‘situational awareness’ by tracking multiple air-borne and maritime targets simultaneously, with a surveillance coverage of 4 million km² over a single 10hr flight.

Marshall Aerospace and Defence CEO Alistair McPhee said: “We are delighted that we have been selected by Boeing for this role in the delivery of the E-7, and we are very proud to be playing a key role on such a strategically important programme for the UK Ministry of Defence.

"It is a great validation of the work that we are already doing for the RAF to drive availability of the C-130 fleet, and it builds on over 50 years’ of partnering.”