Originally Posted by
kiwi grey
The only user of a B767-based AEW&C aircraft is Japan.
The main 'top-end' replacements for AWACS-type airframes appear to be:
- Boeing E-7A (B737) Ordered and/or in use by Australia, Turkey, Korea & UK; and
- Gulfstream G550 CAEW Ordered and/or in use by Israel, Singapore & Italy
At the next level down there's:
- Grumman E-2D / Hawkeye 2000; and
- Various platforms with the Saab (formerly Ericsson) Erieye / Globaleye radar
I think it most unlikely anyone would order a B767-based AEW&C platform in the future.
The USAF & NATO E-3 airframes have been / are being upgraded at the moment, with the expectation that this will last them through to the mid-2030s, by which time the B767 will most likely be years out of production. I'd expect that this E-3 replacement airframe would be based on the Boeing NSA, or even something smaller
I think a KC-46 based airframe could be a contender as well for the "top end". All that extra wiring and generating power could be put to good use. The RC/KC/EC/C/WC-135, E-3, E-6 and E-8 are getting tired and the E-7/P-8/737 might not have the fuselage for everything, but smaller electronics will indeed allow for some downsizing.