PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(15 July 2025)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what were the reasons for the nine-month gap between the first flight of the Royal Air Force’s E-7 Wedgetail (WT001) in September 2024 and its subsequent test flight.

Asked by:
Mr Mark Francois (Conservative)

Between delivery to STS Aviation and its first flight in September 2024 the aircraft has undergone significant structural modification to support the Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar and mission systems. Since concluding previous flights in autumn 2024, the aircraft progressed into mission system installation as part of the build schedule.

Answered by:
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