Boeing 737 AEW & C The Boeing 737 AEW & C is a twin - engine airborne early warning and control aircraft . It is lighter than the 707 - based Boeing E - 3 Sentry , and mounts a fixed , electronically scanned radar antenna instead of a rotating one . It was designed for the Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) under " Project Wedgetail " and designated E - 7A Wedgetail . The 737 AEW & C has also been selected by the Turkish Air Force ( under " Project Peace Eagle " , Turkish : " Barış Kartalı " ) and the Republic of Korea Air Force ( " Project Peace Eye " , Korean : " 피스 아이 " ) , and has been proposed to Italy and the United Arab Emirates . Design and development . In the 1990s , Australia began forming a need for an airborne early warning and control ( AEW & C ) aircraft . In 1996 , Australia issued a request for proposal ( RFP ) for the aircraft for the RAAF under " Project Wedgetail " . In 2000 , Australia awarded Boeing Integrated Defense Systems a contract to supply four AEW & C aircraft with options for three additional aircraft . The 737 AEW & C is based on Boeing Business Jet 1 ; a 737 - 700IGW airframe variant of the Boeing 737 Next Generation , roughly similar to the 737 - 700ER . The aircraft uses the Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Multi - role Electronically Scanned Array ( MESA ) radar . The L - band ( 1 to 2 GHz ) electronically scanned AEW and surveillance radar is located on a dorsal fin on top of the fuselage , dubbed the " top hat " , and is designed for minimal aerodynamic effect . The radar is capable of simultaneous air and sea search , fighter control and area search , with a maximum range of over 600 km ( look - up mode ) . When operating in look - down mode against fighter - sized target , the maximum range is in excess of 370 km . When used against maritime targets , the maximum range is over 240 km for frigate - sized targets . MESA is capable of simultaneously tracking 180 targets and conducting 24 intercepts . In addition , the radar antenna array is also doubled as an ELINT array , with a maximum range of over 850 km at 9 , 000 meter altitude . The 10 . 8 m long by 3 . 4 m high antenna assembly incorporates 7 . 3 m long by 2 . 7 m high Side - Emitting Electronic Manifold array , with the top hat supporting array providing 120° coverage on port and starboard side , while the top hat array itself provides 60° fore and aft , thus providing a complete 360° coverage . The radar ' s beam can be set for a 2° to 8° width , while scan duration can be set from 3 sec to 40 sec . Radar signal processing equipment and central computer are installed directly below the antenna array . Other modifications include ventral fins to counterbalance the radar and countermeasures mounted on the nose , wingtips and tail . In - flight refueling is via a receptacle on top of the forward fuselage . The cabin features eight operator consoles with sufficient space for four more ; the Australian fleet will operate ten consoles with space for two more ( four on port side and six on the starboard side ) . Northrop Grumman ' s MESA radar also formed the basis for the same company ' s Multi - Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program ( MP - RTIP ) which was developed for the United States Air Force ' s E - 10 MC2A aircraft . Operational history . Australia . Australia ordered four AEW & C aircraft with options for three additional aircraft . Australia has since taken up two of those options . Aircraft deliveries were to begin in 2006 , but significant program delays due to integration problems have occurred . The first two Wedgetail aircraft were assembled and underwent testing in Seattle , Washington . The remaining aircraft are to be assembled by Boeing Australia . For the Australian aircraft , Boeing and Northrop are teamed with Boeing Australia , and BAE Systems Australia . Boeing Australia will provide training , maintenance and support , BAE provides EWSP systems , Electronic Support Measures ( ESM ) systems and ground support systems . On 29 June 2006 the Australian Minister for Defence , Brendan Nelson , announced that Boeing had recently informed the Australian Government that the Wedgetail project had fallen behind schedule . According to Nelson ' s press release , the company had previously maintained that the project was on schedule . Boeing announced an 18 month delay , due to problems integrating radar and sensor computer systems , and was not expected to deliver the aircraft until early 2009 . Additionally , Boeing took $ 770 million in charges in 2006 for the delayed aircraft . Furthermore , on 20 June 2008 Boeing announced another delay to the Australian program , due primarily to integration of the radar and Electronic Support Measure ( ESM ) systems . On 16 March 2009 Boeing demonstrated control of three ScanEagle UAS from a Wedgetail AEW & C aircraft . On 26 November 2009 Boeing delivered the first two 737 AEW & C aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) . Initially these aircraft remained Boeing owned and operated , then on 5 May 2010 the RAAF formally accepted these aircraft into service . The RAAF accepted its sixth 737 AEW & C aircraft on 5 June 2012 ; this is the last of Wedgetail Australia had on order . All Australian aircraft are to be operated by No . 2 Squadron RAAF and will be based at RAAF Base Williamtown with a permanent detachment at RAAF Base Tindal . In November 2012 , Wedgetail aircraft achieved Initial Operational Capability ; this provides world - class AEW & C capabilities for the RAAF . Turkey . Four Boeing 737 AEW & C Peace Eagle aircraft , along with ground support systems were ordered by the Turkish Air Force , with an option for two more . Turkish Aerospace Industries ( TAI ) is the primary subcontractor for the Peace Eagle parts production , aircraft modification , assembly and tests . Another Turkish subcontractor , Havelsan , is responsible for system analysis and software support besides the delivery of Ground Support Segment which will be located in Konya , Turkey . HAVELSAN of Turkey is also the only foreign company licensed by the U . S . Government to receive critical source codes . Peace Eagle 1 is modified and tested by the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in Seattle , Washington , USA . Peace Eagle 2 , 3 and 4 are modified and tested at the facilities of TAI in Ankara , Turkey , with the participation of Boeing and a number of Turkish companies . In 2006 , the four Peace Eagle aircraft were scheduled to be delivered in 2008 . In mid - 2007 , systems integration and airworthiness certification works were ongoing . In September 2007 , Boeing completed the first test flight of Turkey ' s AEW & C 737 . On 4 June 2008 , it was announced that the Turkish Aerospace Industries had completed modifications to Peace Eagle 2 , the second 737 AEW & C aircraft at TAI ' s facilities in Turkey . Completion of checks on flight and mission systems took place in the third quarter of 2008 . In 2013 Israel responded to American pressure and delivered EW gear for the Turkish aircraft . South Korea . On November 7 , 2006 , Boeing won a $ 1 . 6 billion contract with South Korea to deliver four aircraft by 2012 . Boeing beat the other entrant , IAI Elta ' s Gulfstream G550 - based aircraft , which was eliminated from the competition in August 2006 . The first " Peace Eye " aircraft was delivered to Gimhae Air Base , Busan for acceptance testing on August 1 , 2011 with the remaining three aircraft delivered every six months until 2012 . The second aircraft was modified into an AEW & C configuration by Korea Aerospace Industries ( KAI ) , then delivered to Gimhae Air Base on December 13 , 2011 . After receiving AEW & C modifications by KAI , the third aircraft was delivered on May 17 , 2012 to Gimhae Air Base . The fourth aircraft was delivered on October 24 , 2012 . Potential customers . In 2004 , the Italian Air Force was considering the purchase of a total of 14 Wedgetail and P - 8 MMA aircraft , with aircraft support to be provided by Alitalia . The Boeing 737 Wedgetail is supposedly the favored competitor for the AEW & C program of the United Arab Emirates .