Boeing booked two Air Force contract modifications totaling $2.43 billion on March 12, 2026 for the E-7A Wedgetail program — driven by 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act direction (signed February 2026) that ordered the Air Force to keep the program alive after the Pentagon had previously sought to halt it. Cumulative E-7A contract value now stands at roughly $5.01 billion. Per The Defense Post, Air & Space Forces Magazine, and Breaking Defense.
What's funded
- $2.33B — Rapid Prototype Airborne Mission Segment contract option exercise (mission systems, sensors, radar, battle-management software)
- $99.3M — Diminishing Manufacturing Sources Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar work
The Congressional save
The Pentagon had been preparing to cancel or significantly slow E-7A. The 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed February 2026, executed Congressional direction to continue development and transition to engineering and manufacturing development (EMD). The two March modifications are the immediate operationalization of that mandate.
Performance
Locations: Seattle, Washington; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Huntsville, Alabama; and Heath, Ohio. Completion expected August 10, 2032. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom AFB, administers the contract.
What this matters for subs
- Avionics MRO and depot subs: Oklahoma City + Heath are the primary integration sites
- RF/T/R-module suppliers: MESA DMS work means second-source qualification opportunities
- Watch FY27 budget closely — if the Pentagon tries to back off again, Congress may not save it twice
