The Netherlands and other NATO partner nations have decided against procuring six Boeing E-7 Wedgetail aircraft as replacements for the current Boeing E-3A Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) fleet.
The E-3As, which monitor European airspace from a base in Geilenkirchen, Germany, are set to reach the end of their service life by 2035.
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Originally, the Netherlands participated in the AWACS replacement programme alongside seven countries, including the US.
However, after the US withdrew from the initiative in July 2024, significant changes followed for the project.
The departure of a key member led to the loss of both strategic and financial support within the existing framework.
Members of the Support Partnership Committee, comprising the remaining countries, subsequently halted plans to acquire the E-7 Wedgetail.
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By GlobalDataThe committee is now reviewing alternative options for replacing the aging AWACS fleet and is also looking for new partners to join these efforts.
The Netherlands State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman said: “The goal remains to have other, quieter aircraft operational by 2035. The US withdrawal also demonstrates the importance of investing as much as possible in European industry.”
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail offers airborne early warning and control capabilities and is already in operation with countries such as the UK, Australia, South Korea, and Türkiye.
The aircraft is designed for radar surveillance and communication with ground, surface, and air assets.
Following this decision, the Netherlands and its partners continue to consider new solutions for maintaining airspace monitoring in Europe.
In a separate development, Romania has formally taken delivery of 18 Dutch F-16 fighter jets.
Officials signed transfer documents in Bucharest earlier in November 2025. These aircraft will be used for training Romanian and Ukrainian F-16 pilots.
In September 2025, the UK signed a new agreement with Boeing to build advanced surveillance aircraft for the US Air Force (USAF).
Under the contract, two prototype E-7A Wedgetail aircraft will be supplied to the USAF by converting the airframes of two existing commercial passenger jets.
