NATO has approved the replacement of its fleet of last-generation E-3A AWACS aircraft with new machines by 2031. This military purchase in the alliance was called one of the largest in the history of the bloc. The new Boeing E-7As will be based there and will be able to be deployed to several "forward airfields" in various eastern and southern NATO countries, if necessary. These aircraft should become part of the Alliance's integrated airspace control and early warning system.