2021 Report details for project: E7 Wedgetail

Project name E7 Wedgetail - there are 3 reports for this project: 2021, 2022, 2023
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Organisation MOD (D17 ) - see all reports for this organisation
Report year 2021 (data is from March 2021)
Category Military - see all reports for this category
Description: The E-7 Wedgetail programme will provide a 5th Generation Airborne Early Warning and Control capability, with an Electronically Scanned Array radar, that is interoperable and interchangeable with key allies to an anticipated Out-of-Service date of at least 2042. The intent of the E-7 Wedgetail programme is to recapitalise the UK Airborne Warning And Control System E-3D Fleet with a modern Airborne Early Warning and Control platform having a target In Service Date of 2023. It will provide an airborne surveillance and C2 capability that can meet environmental and regulatory changes. The Programme will deliver a capability that can meet NATO and Coalition Theatre Entry Standards, meet the UK's contribution-in-kind to the NATO Airborne Early Warning Force and be interoperable and interchangeable with key allies. It will also effectively communicate with and enable 4th, 5th and future Generation Assets in order to successfully compete and contest against near-peer adversaries. It has been confirmed that, with minor modifications (detailed in the Outline Business Case), the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail meets the Ministry Of Defences initial capability requirements and Key User Requirements.
DCA (RAG) Amber/Red
DCA text: Exempt under Section 26 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Defence)
Start date 2018-05-08
End date 2026-06-30
Schedule text The project end-date is 30 June 2026. This is primarily due to the following factors: The Wedgetail Programme is currently working through the implications of the 2021 Integrated Review. The programme remains on track to deliver an In Service Date of 2023, however, negotiations with the Prime Contractor are ongoing to optimise the schedule for a reduced fleet size and a change of Main Operating Base to RAF Lossiemouth.
Baseline £329.44m
Forecast £352.82m
Variance 7.00%
Variance text: The budget variance exceeds 5%. Most significant reasons for variances are changes in foreign exchange rates during the year, and bring-forward of Financial Year 2021/22 costs due to some aspects of the programme being ahead of schedule (no overall change to programme costs).
Whole Life Cost £2,245.67m
WLCost text: The projects Baseline Whole Life Cost is £2245.67m. This is primarily due to the following factors: Original Whole Life Costs were estimated for the Outline Business Case based on Rough Order Magnitude data provided by Boeing, and were a factor in the investment decision to procure E-7 Wedgetail rather than upgrading the existing E-3D Sentry aircraft. This original figure is based on 5 aircraft based at RAF Waddington. In 2021 the project was re-baselined to deliver 3 aircraft based at RAF Lossiemouth, to achieve colocation synergies with the P8-A Poseidon fleet and provide a cost saving. Estimated Whole Life Costs for the reduced fleet size will be updated at Full Business Case in Q3 2022, when approval for the initial sustainment contract will be sought.
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Sourcefile IPA_2021.csv

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