Friday, May 29, 2026
The Journal Record
This op-ed ran on the JournalRecord.com.
Bringing the E-7 Wedgetail program to Oklahoma‘s Tinker Air Force Base is no longer a policy debate; it’s a moral obligation to provide safety to our service members and the best technological shield for our national security.
The E-3 Sentry aircraft has been a flagship program at Tinker for decades, serving as the backbone of Tinker’s airborne surveillance. That legacy firmly established Oklahoma as a critical hub for airborne command and control, and that role must now evolve to meet the demands of modern combat.
As an advanced airborne surveillance and command aircraft, the E-7 Wedgetail represents not just continuity, but a decisive leap forward in capability. Military readiness today is defined by technological superiority, and the E-7 delivers that edge. Equipped with advanced MESA radar — a dorsal-mounted system capable of 360-degree, long-range surveillance — the aircraft enables the United States and our allies to track aircraft, missiles and naval assets simultaneously across hundreds of miles. By adopting the E-7, we don’t just upgrade our own fleet; we lock arms with the United Kingdom, Australia and our NATO partners in a seamless web of defense.
The E-7 also transforms how decisions are made in real time. By connecting warfighters with command centers, it enables faster, more informed responses in complex operational environments, helping keep U.S. service members safer during missions.
For Oklahoma, the E-7 carries both strategic and economic weight — supporting high-quality jobs while reinforcing our role in global security and allied coordination. But that future is not guaranteed. As Congress looks ahead to the next National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), continued advocacy will be critical to ensure the E-7 transition moves from commitment to execution.
Tinker supports more than 58,000 jobs and drives an estimated $8.6 billion in economic impact across the state. As the United States Air Force transitions from the aging E-3 Sentry to the next-generation E-7, Oklahoma has a critical opportunity to secure our role in the future of airborne surveillance and command.
The E-7 transition is more than a routine platform upgrade — it would transform Tinker from a legacy maintenance hub into the permanent anchor of Oklahoma’s $8 billion aerospace ecosystem, fueling thousands of family-supporting jobs and sustaining long-term economic growth. Without continued investment, that future is at risk, threatening to stall Oklahoma’s economic momentum, jeopardize livelihoods and leave a significant gap in the state’s aerospace economy.
Oklahoma’s congressional representatives have been ardent supporters of the E-7 program at the federal level, and Congress has already taken important steps to advance the program at Tinker, recognizing its strategic and operational value. Now, the focus must shift from initial support to sustained momentum.
When it comes to protecting those who serve, there is no viable alternative to the E-7 Wedgetail. The path forward is clear: build on the progress already made, sustain the momentum in
Washington and ensure Tinker Air Force Base remains at the forefront of the nation’s most critical defense missions. In doing so, Oklahoma can ensure our service members have the level of safety and command they require to come home.
