Seems pretty obvious to me that a reason for the gap between E-3D and E-7 would be retraining of all the aircrew and engineers. Unless the RAF has magically found a spare squadrons' worth of each?

Certainly a good idea, but I suspect two things....firstly that won't happen and people will be scattered in the wind to where they are needed right now. And secondly I bet a fair few PVRs have gone in to avoid a posting to the frozen north when it does come in...

Holdovers ?
 

...
What's wrong with a few holdover postings to bide a wee ?

The NATO Ski School has plenty of vacancies from September.
...

I can’t see training being that drawn out, it’s basically a 737 with a few extras chucked down the back. The danger there is training people on 737 then retaining them, pilot and engineer wise, though the industry is a bit flat at the moment in the real world..

Not exactly final as ZH101 is airborne for the second day running, and is currently orbiting around the North Northumberland AWACS orbit.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....33f7a2e3eb.jpg

Yep, but unfortunately it's cloudy, so I can't see it. Looks to be heading South now.

One comment on another group is that it was an air test prior to delivery to some museum in the USA.

Perhaps the museum could provide a circular train track and roll it around.....in an everlasting electric orbit.

If Chile maintains the same aircraft designation, we can come back to this thread probably in 30 years time!

One currently airborne in Lincs again. ZH101 according to FR24. Maybe some Air Force having a test drive?

Seems to have been flying about once a week since early September

Sale or Scrap ?
 

...

The only UK Sentry E-3D AWACS (out of the original seven) that has flown since early August 2021 is ZH101, so it now seems reasonable to presume that once again, another UK Taxpayer funded Military Resource has been negligently allowed to wither on the operational vine and also lose its 'airworthiness' before any hastily procured replacement can be put into service.

I wonder what the final straw was ? Loss, absence of, or inability to demonstrate ASSC or even possibly, realisation by management that some crews were unhappy.

Given some of the persuasive 'loss of airworthiness' posts about this and several other UK military aircraft types, and despite the apparent 'AWACS available for sale' ticket, this might suggest that ZH101 may only be flying on a specific once a week sortie by sortie 'National Interest (FC - FS) Waiver' reluctantly issued by DG DSA or higher 'regulatory' authority.

LFH
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Or not piss away billions on a failed test and trace system or vanity items or the billions wasted in other areas.. the UK could afford a lot more with competence in power..

ZH101 is in the air again this morning. Apparently now over Yorkshire. As a previous poster suggested - once a week
M-62A

"...or the billions wasted in other areas."

Don't mention the 'B' word. I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.

Perhaps maintained in service to cover COP in Glasgow. Or perhaps not

crew currency, nothing more, nothing less

The need to keep (flight) crew current implies that the MOD hope to sell one or two of the E3Ds in a flyable state. In a recent article in Air Combat Magazine a member of the French E3F support organisation is quoted as stating that the FAF are interested in obtaining spare parts for their E3F airframes which I understand are the critical issue for long term support.

Their aircraft have been upgraded to the latest E3C standard including the extra consoles (total 14) so not much of the mission system except perhaps some of the heavy radar gear and antenna will be of much use to them. They have also added some French National equipment added making them a very capable ISTAR system.

Indeed the MoD is interested in selling them on in a flyable condition, and Chile is said to be interested in buying them as a Phalcon/Condor replacement...

Chile only have one Phalcon and I’d be amazed if it’s anywhere near fit for purpose nowadays. I’m not sure it even met Chile’s expectations when they took delivery of it over 25 years ago! If they decided to buy the E-3D, I guess they might buy one as a direct replacement and others as spares. It would be a significant upgrade to Chile’s current capability for, relatively, not a lot of money.
Could be a win-win but wouldn’t be surprised if the Israelis are trying to tempt Chile with an alternative deal.