(United States)

Notes: In 2003, the USAF awarded $215 million to a joint Boeing/Northrop-Grumman team to develop a common replacement for the E-3 Sentry, E-8 J-Stars, and RC-135 Rivet Joint. Boeing was responsible for the airframe (a modified 767-400ER) while Northrop-Grumman was tasked with the systems.

The USAF later decided that a single plane could not fulfill all three missions and split the MC2A (Multisensor Command & Control Aircraft) into three versions:

1) A CMD (Cruise Missile Defense) version to augment (and possibly replace) the E-8, with the possibility of also serving as a UAV “mothership”.

2) An AWACS version to replace the E-3 Sentry, using the planar MESA array as on Australia’s Wedgetail AWACS.

3) A SIGINT/ELINT version to replace the RC-135.

In January 2006, the USAF cancelled the Version 3 and de-funded the Version 2. In 2007, the USAF budget “indefinetly postponed” the whole program, as part of a major shake-up that will also see the retirement of the F-117 Nighthawk, E-4 Nightwatch, and all but 58 B-52 Stratofortresses. However one plane will still be completed as a technology demonstrator. It is hoped that funding can be found in 2009 to restart the program.