Snapshot of future USAF fighter/AWACS mix

So what could the USAF fighter/AWACs mix of the future look like in the 2020’s and beyond? A look at Australia has some clues.

Troubled and not quite ready, Australia is receiving the Boeing Wedgetail. As can be seen from this review of the aircrafts capabilities, (note: broad sensor capability …not all air to air support) once it is all figured out, it should hold significant AWACS performance in an affordable airframe.

If USAF gets lucky and the F-35 delivers capability without breaking the bank, a future AEF deployment could end up with a fighter/AWACs mix of F-35s, Wedgetails and another Australian thing currently in contention in the U.S.—the possibility of an Airbus A330-200 tanker for support.

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