Wedgetail project now 3 years late

[Greg McDonald]

From News.com.au:

PROJECT Wedgetail, Australia's $3.5 billion airborne early warning project, is now officially running three years late.

Boeing confirmed yesterday that the first of the six planes would now be delivered in 2010 -- 36 months behind schedule.

The Wedgetail project is designed to provide the RAAF with a highly sophisticated airborne surveillance system.

When integrated with combat aircraft, refuelling tankers and the Jindalee radar, it will form the critical element of Australia's future air defence.

Australia has been the lead customer for the Wedgetail aircraft. The first aircraft, based on the Boeing 737-700 airliner, were due to be delivered in January last year.

Wedgetail is one of four Boeing-managed programs currently on the Defence Materiel Organisation list of troublesome projects. They include a $600million project to modernise the defence force's high-frequency communications system, and Project Vigilare, a $130million contract to create a new air defence command and control system for the RAAF.