Originally Posted by
kiwi grey
So it's going to take Boeing and the USAF four years to complete the first 'rapid prototype' of an type that's based on an in-production airframe (P-8A) and is currently in service with a 5-eyes partner?
Slightly different airframe (700 v 800) and iirc the 700ER isn't in series production at the moment (albeit they did do one for the RAF
) - the timescale for the RAF from order to delivery of the first is 4 years - the conversion from 737 to E-7 takes about 2 years, so if they are going for anew build test airframe, they'll have to wait for the production slot too.