Agreement Between the U.S. Air Force and Boeing

Senior officials announced on Saturday that the U.S. Air Force has reached a pricing agreement with Boeing for the supply of E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft. The agreement covers the production of prototypes for the requirements of the U.S. Air Force as it replaces the E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft. Frank Kendall, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, told reporters at the Royal International Air Tattoo military air show in western England, "We have reached an agreement with Boeing. We have arrived at a reasonable price point that we can afford." The U.S. Air Force is working to replace the E-3 aircraft, which date back to the Cold War and are based on the 707 aircraft design. The distinctive rotating radar dome allows the crew to track targets and direct the aircraft during combat. The replacement process has been delayed amid negotiations over pricing, raising recent concerns in Congress about gaps related to the capabilities of the new aircraft.