A Royal Australian Air Force No. 2 Squadron E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft completes a night-time air-to-air refuel from a United States military KC-10 Extender Air-to-Air Refuelling Tanker Aircraft. *** Local Caption *** The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E-7A Wedgetail, operated by No. 2 Squadron and based at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, can control the tactical battle space, providing direction for fighter aircraft, surface combatants and land based elements, as well as supporting aircraft such as tankers and intelligence platforms.
Based on the 737-700 commercial airliner airframe, the E-7A Wedgetail features advanced multi role electronically scanned radar and 10 state-of-the-art mission crew consoles that are able to track airborne and maritime targets simultaneously.
The Talisman Sabre series of exercises is the principal Australian and US military training activity focused on the planning and conduct of mid-intensity high end warfighting.
This year is the sixth time the exercise has been conducted and involves about 30,000 Australian, New Zealand and US participants with planning and military operations at sea, in the air and on land.