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Travolta’s suit, The Shining’s axe & Marty McFly’s hoverboard… the iconic memorabilia set to sell at major movie auction

THE price tag for John Travolta’s Saturday Night Fever suit is every bit as eye-watering as his dance moves.

The flared white three-piece outfit from the 1977 hit movie is expected to sell for as much as £300,000 at auction next month.

John Travolta’s Saturday Night Fever suit is going up for auction Credit: Alamy
It is expected to sell for as much as £300,000 Credit: PA

It is one of more than 1,400 items from film and TV that Propstore will be putting under the hammer in its four-day Summer Entertainment Memorabilia Auction.

The sale includes the fake axe wielded by Jack Nicholson in The Shining, a Harry ­Potter golden snitch and a hoverboard ridden by Michael J Fox in Back To The Future II.

A 15-inch stop-motion animation puppet from the 1949 film Mighty Joe Young is estimated to be worth up to £1.5million.

Here, we look at the most memorable mementoes up for grabs.

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Jack Nicholson’s stunt axe in The Shining is being sold Credit: Warner Bros
The axe is estimated to fetch anything from £40k to £75k Credit: Propstore / SWNS
Michael J Fox’s hoverboard from Back To The Future II could fetch over £100k Credit: Universal Studios
Frank the Rabbit’s suit in Donnie Darko is going under the hammer Credit: Handout
The suit could fetch as much as £150k Credit: SWNS
Michael Jackson in his Werecat Teeth from his Thriller video Credit: Unknown
The teeth could go for between £15k and £30k Credit: SWNS
Josh Brolin’s firearm from Men In Black 3 is featuring in the movie mega auction Credit: Alamy
It is estimated to fetch £10k-£20k Credit: AFP
Leonard Nimoy’s Mr Spock uniform is up for grabs Credit: BBC
The estimate for this item is as high as £100k Credit: AFP
Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man armour in Captain America: Civil War will go to the highest bidder Credit: Alamy
It is expected to fetch between £30k and £60k Credit: SWNS
Michael Keaton’s suit in Batman Returns is being auctioned too Credit: Warner Bros
It could go for anything between £40k and £90k Credit: SWNS
Another Batsuit, this one worn by Val Kilmer in Batman Forever, is going under the hammer Credit: Getty
It is thought to be worth up to £75k Credit: AFP
Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine suit from X-Men is among the 1,400 items being sold Credit: Alamy
The suit could go for £40k-75k Credit: AFP
The Golden Snitch from the first Harry Potter film is estimated to be sold for £20k-£40k Credit: AFP

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Ryanair to axe two million seats to European country by early 2027

The budget airline has confirmed it’ll be cutting the number of aircraft from one of its city bases by five, and its schedule will have two million fewer seats to a popular city break destination as of winter 2026

Ryanair has slashed the number of seats from its schedule for a city break destination that’s famous for its Christmas market and historic sites, as well as being a major business hub.

The decision was made in response to the country’s decision to raise aviation taxes, with Ryanair releasing a strongly-worded statement to announce they would be cutting two million seats from two of the capital’s airports.

The Federal Government of Belgium announced plans to raise the country’s aviation tax from €5 (about £4.20) to €7 (about £6) as of January 2027. This was erroneously described by Ryanair in a statement as a “250% increase since 2025.”

As a result, the budget carrier plans to cut five aircraft from its base at Brussels South Charleroi Airport, and reduce capacity by two million seats overall from Belgium’s Charleroi and Zaventem airports. The reductions will be applied to the winter 2026 and summer 2027 schedule.

Brussels is not the first destination to see a cut in the number of Ryanair seats this year. Earlier this year it announced reductions in services to Spain and Portugal, with smaller regional airports the most affected.

Valladolid and Jerez saw cuts to their services, while scrapped routes included Asturias and Vigo. A service to Tenerife North was also scrapped as a result of a dispute over airport fee hikes, leaving the airport with no alternative direct UK routes. Ryanair also closed its two aircraft base at Santiago de Compostela which reduced capacity.

As a result over one million seats were taken from the winter 2025 routes, and 1.2 million cut from the summer 2026 schedule. Another cut was to a Portugal service, with Ryanair cutting six routes to and from the Azores, an emerging tourist destination. It was estimated the cuts affected around 400,000 passengers.

At the time, Ryanair blamed this cutback on growing airport charges set by Portuguese authorities and environmental taxes linked to the EU Emissions Trading System. John Paul II Ponta Delgada Airport, the islands’ main airport, now only has a single seasonal UK route from London Heathrow operated by British Airways.

Speaking about the cuts in Belgium, Ryanair CEO, Eddie Wilson, said in a statement: “It’s absurd that the Federal Govt have decided to increase Belgium’s aviation tax by 250% from Jan ’27, especially when competing EU countries, like Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia, regional Italy, and Albania are abolishing aviation taxes to grow traffic, tourism and jobs.

“We warned Prime Minister De Wever that increasing Belgium’s aviation tax would result in traffic cuts, but he failed to listen. As a result, Ryanair will now remove 5 aircraft from our Charleroi base and 2m seats from our Brussels schedules (Charleroi and Zaventem) for Winter ’26/Summer ’27 and relocate to more competitive economies.”

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

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Ryanair to axe two million seats to European country affecting thousands of flights

RYANAIR is set to cancel hundreds of flights to and from a popular European country.

Two million seats will be axed from the winter season in Belgium and next summer due to rising air passenger tax.

Two Ryanair airplanes on the tarmac, with one in the foreground partially obscuring the other.
Ryanair will axe millions of seats from Belgium Credit: EPA
View of the gates and airplane parking at Charleroi Bruxelles Sud international airport in Belgium.
The airline will remove five aircraft from its base at Charleroi Airport Credit: Getty

The airline said today that it would be removing five aircraft from its base at Charleroi, according to local media.

Cuts will affect services at Charleroi and Brussels Airport in Zaventem starting later this year.

Ryanair said the axing of routes is a decision made as part of the Federal Government’s plan to increase the departure tax on air tickets.

Just a few days ago, the Belgian government announced it would raise the amount from €5 (£4.26) to €7 (£5.97) from January 1, 2027.

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Despite this being lower than expected, Ryanair said it is still too high.

When the tax increase was announced at the beginning of the year, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary slammed the plans, calling them “silly” and “damaging”.

He added: “Over the last 20 years, Ryanair has grown to be Belgium’s largest airline.

“This growth can easily be lost to tax abolishing countries like Sweden Hungary, Slovakia and Italy, and if Charleroi and Belgium don’t reverse these taxes.”

Ryanair currently carries 11.6million passengers to and from Belgium, making it the largest airline operating in the country.

It’s not yet clear whether the routes axed will be from the UK.

Current flights routes to Charleroi include from Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh.

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Ashley Cain breaks silence after BBC axe for historic ‘abusive’ posts as reality TV star says ‘I cannot change the past’

ASHLEY Cain has spoken out for the first time since he was axed by the BBC after allegedly making degrading comments about women online.

The reality TV star penned an apology on Instagram, addressing “language I used many years ago that I am not proud of”.

Ashley Cain, 35, has spoken out for the first time since he was dropped by the BBC Credit: Splash
The Ex on the Beach star had made derogatory comments about women Credit: Instagram/mrashleycain

The 35-year-old was dropped by the Beeb last week after historic social media posts came to light which were deemed “offensive” to women.

His BBC Three documentary Into The Danger Zone has been shelved for its second season.

In response to a disastrous day as he was dropped by his management, Cain took to Instagram to address the controversy.

“You may have seen a recent article concerning language I used many years ago that I am not proud of.

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The reality star has featured on programmes including Celebrity Masterchef on the BBC Credit: BBC
He said he wanted to take ‘accountability’ for his past comments Credit: BBC

“I don’t deny it. I don’t excuse it. And I certainly don’t condone it,” he began.

Cain blamed the loss of his football career as one of the factors which caused him to feel “lost, frustrated and unsure of where my life was heading”.

He went on: “The reality is that growth doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through experience.

“Through mistakes. Through hardship. Through being forced to look in the mirror and ask yourself whether you’re willing to become better.”

Yesterday, the Daily Mail reported that Ashley had been dropped as a client by his management company Off Limits amid recent events.

“Ashley has been dropped by Off Limits, who also represent stars such as Jimmy Bullard, Jesy Nelson and Harry Redknapp,” an insider told the publication.

“They have a roster of talent who are household names, they don’t want to be associated with him after the vile posts came to light.

“Ashley is now pretty much blacklisted in the industry, and it’s doubtful he will ever be on television again.”

The second season of Ashley Cain: Into the Danger Zone has been shelved Credit: BBC
Cain said the tragic loss of his daughter Azaylia in 2021 after a battle with leukaemia Credit: miss_safiyya_/Instagram

Ashley no longer appears on Off Limits website as a listed client.

The Ex on the Beach star’s Twitter posts made in 2011 and 2013 are said to have referenced extreme sex acts and appeared to make light of consent.

He reportedly used offensive, sexualised and aggressive language about women.

Derogatory terms allegedly written in 2014 and 2015 include “sl**s”, “b***hes” and “psychos”.

He also said he’d like to “choke slam” and “spit in the face” of Love Island star Jessica Hayes while commenting on the ITV2 reality show.

Cain’s apology post said he has learnt lessons from fatherhood over the past decade.

His daughter Azaylia Cain sadly died in 2021 of a rare form of acute myeloid leukaemia.

She was just eight months old when she died after a battle with the aggressive disease.

“Losing my daughter changed me forever,” Cain wrote.

“Since then, I have dedicated my life to trying to honour my daughter’s legacy and help others wherever I can.”

The reality star added: “I cannot change what I said over a decade ago. What I can do is take responsibility for it.

“What I can do is continue striving every day to be a good father, a good human and a positive force in the lives of others.”

Cain’s shock slurs sit uncomfortably alongside his more recent work as a BBC presenter exploring masculinity and gangs in dangerous locations around the world.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We are very clear we expect the highest standards of behaviour from everyone who works with or for the BBC.

“When allegations are brought to our attention we take them seriously. We will consider this information carefully and do not intend to comment further at this stage.”

The BBC were reportedly unaware of the offensive content prior to recruiting Cain as a host.

Dad-of-three Cain was a professional footballer at the time of his oldest offensive tweets.

Following contracts at Coventry City and non-league Barwell, he was forced to retire from the game in 2014 due to the effects of a serious achilles injury.

He turned to reality TV and starred in the first series of Ex on the Beach. More recently he appeared on Celebrity SAS, The Real Full Monty and Celebrity MasterChef.

Cain was left devastated in 2021 when his daughter Azaylia died from leukemia aged just eight months.

He set up The Azaylia Foundation in her name and has tackled gruelling endurance challenges to raise money and awareness.

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Ashley Cain ‘dropped by his management’ days after BBC axe for historic ‘abusive’ posts about women

ASHLEY Cain has been dealt a fresh blow following his BBC axe after allegedly making degrading comments about women online.

Historic social media posts by the reality TV star, 35, that have been deemed ‘offensive’ to women came to light last week and resulted in him being dropped by the Beeb – with the second series of his BBC Three documentary Into The Danger Zone now shelved.

Ashley Cain was dropped by the BBC after historic degrading comments about women online came to light Credit: BBC
The SAS Who Dares Wins star has now reportedly been dropped by his agent Credit: PA

The Daily Mail reports that Ashley has now been dropped as a client by his management company Off Limits amid recent events.

“Ashley has been dropped by Off Limits, who also represent stars such as Jimmy Bullard, Jesy Nelson and Harry Redknapp,” an insider told the publication.

“They have a roster of talent who are household names, they don’t want to be associated with him after the vile posts came to light.

“Ashley is now pretty much blacklisted in the industry, and it’s doubtful he will ever be on television again.”

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Ashley Cain’s axed BBC doc is still on iPlayer after bosses admits vetting failure


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BBC launching investigation into Ashley Cain ‘failings’ after his show is axed

The reality TV star presented BBC Three doc Into The Danger Zone Credit: BBC/True North
A second series has now been scrapped Credit: BBC

The Sun has reached out to Off Limits and Ashley Cain for comment.

Ashley no longer appears on Off Limits website as a listed client.

The Ex on the Beach star’s Twitter posts made in 2011 and 2013 are said to have referenced extreme sex acts and appeared to make light of consent.

He reportedly used offensive, sexualised and aggressive language about women.

Despite this, series one of Ashley Cain: Into the Danger Zone aired in April 2025.

It followed his journey to the world’s most dangerous places, interviewing young men who live on the fringes of society.

Filming for a second series took place earlier this year however, it will no longer air following The Guardian‘s report accusing Ashley of writing derogatory terms in 2014 and 2015 including “sl**s”, “b***hes” and “psychos”.

The newspaper also revealed Ashley was secretly sacked from a BBC job last year for being “drunk on set”.

After the success of his documentary, he was picked to host, Sin City: The Real Las Vegas.

Ashley was flown out to Nevada to film the show but concerns were raised about his conduct.

Appearing to be drunk during filming of the show, the production was suspended and Ashley was ultimately dropped from the project and replaced by another presenter.

Despite this, the incident went largely ignored as Ashley returned to filming with the BBC earlier this year for the second series of his Into The Danger Zone series.

A BBC spokesperson told The Sun:  “The posts by Ashley Cain, albeit from many years ago, are completely unacceptable.”

“The BBC has clear requirements around vetting and social media checks, which are undertaken by the production company.

“In this instance, the process clearly failed and we are investigating why.

“We are continuing to strengthen our processes to ensure everyone working for, and on behalf of, the BBC meets our values and standards.

“We have no plans to broadcast the new series of ‘Into the Danger Zone’, and no future projects with Ashley Cain.”

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Budget airline to axe first ever flights from the UK

FLIGHTS from Manchester to India have been scrapped less than one year after they started.

Low-cost carrier IndiGo is axing both of its routes from the UK later this year due to rising fuel costs and airspace restrictions.

NEW DELHI - SEP 29: IndiGo livery on the tail of the Airbus A321neo aircraft in New Delhi airport on September 29. 2022 in India.
IndiGo is axing its direct flights from Manchester to India Credit: Alamy

IndiGo began operating two routes from Manchester in July 2025 – to Mumbai and Delhi but these will come to a stop on August 31.

These flights marked the airline’s first services between India and Europe,

While other airlines such as Virgin Atlantic and Air India offer flights to India from London, IndiGo’s were much cheaper from Manchester.

One-way flights between Manchester and Mumbai started from £290.

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The airline has said one of the reasons for axing the routes is the rising cost of fuel caused by the Iran War.

IndiGo will hand back its leased Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to Norse Atlantic later this year.

IndiGo Senior Vice President – Network Planning & Revenue Management Abhijit Dasgupta said: “We inducted these leased wide-body aircraft to fast-track our connectivity to high potential long-haul destinations such as Manchester and witnessed very encouraging demand response.

“It is, therefore, unfortunate that longer flying times due to airspace constraints combined with dramatically escalating costs compelled us to take the decision to discontinue India –Manchester services.

Western Railway Headquarters, Mumbai, India.
The airline provided cheap flights to Mumbai and Dehli Credit: Alamy

“The response and support for these services have reinforced our belief in the opportunity for IndiGo’s long-haul ambitions, and we are convinced that this discontinuation is temporary.”

He added that he hoped to serve the routes again at the “earliest viable opportunity”.

Norse Atlantic Airways has said that the returned aircraft will later be “deployed by Norse Atlantic in its upcoming winter program for direct flights between Europe and Thailand”.

Once the routes are axed, there will be no direct links between Manchester and India.

Other airlines like Air India and Virgin Atlantic still connect the UK to India – but fly out of London instead.



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Married At First Sight faces uncertain future as Channel 4 axe original 2026 plans

A new series of Married At First Sight was planned for September but plans are now on hold, according to TV sources.

The 2026 series of Married At First Sight will not air on Channel 4 as planned – after a BBC Panorama investigation raised serious concerns about the programme. Two women who have appeared on MAFS UK in the past alleged they were raped by their ‘husbands’ during the filming.

In light of these serious allegations and other claims raised on the programme about the welfare of those taking part, Channel 4 announced an external review into the show, which is made by CPL productions.

It leaves the future of MAFS UK uncertain, and the 2026 series which has already been filmed, will not currently go out as intended in September. The Mirror understands plans for series are now completely paused, with a final decision of when the series could go out to be made at a later date, once the review presents its findings to Channel 4.

READ MORE: Channel 4 statement in full as MAFS UK is pulled amid rape claims from contestantsREAD MORE: Two Married at First Sight UK brides tell BBC they were ‘raped by onscreen husbands’

In the past few years, the MAFS UK series has always launched in mid-September and that was thought to be the original plan for this year. However those plans have been thrown into chaos by the Panorama investigation and the allegations made.

One source at series makers CPL said they felt the series would “definitely be delayed” whilst a Channel 4 source also confirmed that the broadcasters would be awaiting the results of the lengthy external review before making any firm decisions on the future of MAFS, along with the edit of the new series.

Even if the external review presents their results to Channel 4 before September, a source said they intend to “react responsibly” to the findings and implement any changes that need to be made. This will also take time and is expected to delay any future episodes being transmitted.

On Monday, Channel 4 removed all episodes from streaming and linear services, alongside MAFS UK social channels. Hours before the Panorama investigation was aired on the BBC, Channel 4 also put out a statement.

They insisted MAFS UK was “produced under some of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry”. Their statement added that the show included: “most thorough background checks available, a Code of Conduct which clearly sets out behavioural standards, daily contributor check-ins with a specialist welfare team and access to additional support before, during and after filming.”

But despite this, a number of contributors clearly feel let down and Channel 4 said that in April “Channel 4 was presented with serious allegations of wrongdoing against a small number of past contributors, allegations that we understand those contributors have denied”.

Channel 4’s recently appointed CEO, Priya Dogra has now instructed an external review of contributor welfare on MAFS UK.

This review is now underway and has two elements. The first, conducted by law firm Clyde & Co, is examining the welfare protocols in place on this programme at the time claims were raised, as well as the handling of these claims.

Channel 4 says it expects the review to report in the coming months and will share a summary of findings and recommendations at the appropriate time.

Priya Dogra, Chief Executive of Channel 4 said: “I want to express my sympathy to contributors who have clearly been distressed after taking part in Married at First Sight UK. The wellbeing of our contributors is always of paramount importance.

“It would be wholly inappropriate for me to comment on what are very serious allegations made against some MAFS UK contributors. Those allegations – which I understand are disputed by the contributors accused – are not something that Channel 4 is in a position to adjudicate on. We are also mindful of our ongoing duty of care to all contributors, and the need to preserve the anonymity and privacy of all involved.

“On the claims that Channel 4 may have failed in its duty of care, I believe that when concerns about contributor welfare were raised, and based on the information available at the time, Channel 4 acted quickly, appropriately, sensitively and with wellbeing front and centre.

“Nevertheless, because we aspire to the highest standards of contributor welfare, I felt strongly as Channel 4’s new CEO that it was right that we look again at how we handled issues raised at the time and ask whether changes should be made to further strengthen contributor welfare.

“That’s why last month I commissioned an external review of contributor welfare on MAFS UK. That review will report to me in the coming months.

“We take these issues very seriously and are committed to ensuring that we continue to lead the industry in our duty of care for contributors.”

Production company CPL have yet to release a statement in light of the Panorama findings. But lawyers for CPL, which makes the UK version of the show, said its welfare system is “gold standard” and industry-leading, and that it acted appropriately in all these cases.

The unnamed men accused of sexual misconduct on Panorama all deny all the allegations against them.

There have been 10 series to date on Channel 4 of the British version and it is one of their most popular shows, with consolidated audiences of over two million viewers per episode.

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Pentagon’s Mindset On E-7 Radar Aircraft It Tried To Axe Has Completely Changed: Hegseth

The Pentagon says it is working to amend its proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget to request new funding for E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft to replace the U.S. Air Force’s aging E-3 Sentry jets. The original version did not ask for any money for E-7, which had raised the prospect of a new fight with Congress over the future of the program. Legislators intervened earlier this year to reverse a previous attempt to axe the Wedgetail. Secretary Pete Hegseth, previously a chief advocate for the cancellation, says his Department’s “mindset” has now fundamentally changed.

Rep. Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, asked Hegseth for an update on the E-7 during a hearing before members of the House Appropriations Committee earlier today. In his question, Cole, who is Chairman of the committee, also highlighted the loss of one of the Air Force’s existing E-3s, also known as Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, in an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia in March. That has put new emphasis on the Wedgetail program. The latest conflict with Iran has also just added to the already significant strains on the dwindling fleet of aging E-3s, as TWZ has previously explored in detail.

“Let me ask you a specific question, and you may want to get back to me on this, I don’t know, but we’ve had some discussion over – you know, we lost one E-3. On the ground, thank goodness. Looks like no crew loss,” Rep. Cole said, leading into his question. “This committee has been interested in investing in the E-7. The Pentagon signed the contract for five additional planes. [It is] not in the Air Force budget [for Fiscal Year 2027]. Is there going to be a fix to that? Where are we at on thinking about the E-7?”

As of April, the Air Force had awarded contracts to Boeing for a total of seven developmental E-7s. Versions of the Wedgetail are already in service in Australia, South Korea, and Turkey. The United Kingdom is also set to field a fleet of these aircraft. However, a U.S.-specific configuration is now in the works.

A render of an E-7 Wedgetail in US Air Force service. USAF

“I am well aware of that dynamic. I know our department had taken the position that it was … other satellite ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities] that was probably going to be capable of a lot of that in the future,” Hegseth said in response to Rep. Cole’s question. “But I think that mindset was indicative of a mindset that we’ve shed, which is the divest-to-invest mindset, which was an austerity mindset, that we’re going to get continuing resolution after continuing resolution. So, we [sic] got to get rid of these platforms in order to invest in these platforms. And there are gaps that need to still be filled. And there are systems that still need to be funded that are used on the battlefield right now, say, MQ-9s, A-10s, you name it.”

“And the E-7 is one of those,” Hegseth continued. “So, we’ve actually sent a budget amendment to OMB [Office of Management and Budget at the White House] to add that. I think it has a future. It has a place on the battlefield. And we’ll get more information for you on that, as well.”

The continuing resolutions referenced here are short-term federal government spending packages that Congress routinely approves when it cannot pass a full annual budget.

Secretary Hegseth also touched on the Air Force’s long-term plan, which remains unchanged publicly, to eventually push most, if not all, air moving-target indicator (AMTI) tasks into orbit. His comments today implicitly acknowledge that cancelling the E-7 program would have risked a serious capability gap in the near term, with the hopes of a better solution coming in the future. This is something TWZ had been sounding the alarm on since last year. Despite major investments and prototyping activities already underway, those space-based capabilities are still years away, at best, from becoming a reality. The Air Force’s original plan to replace a portion of its E-3 fleet with E-7s underscored the expectation that airborne early warning aircraft would also continue to play a vital role for years to come.

As a replacement for the E-3, the E-7 is a much more modern and capable aircraft. The Wedgetail is arguably the best airborne look-down sensor platform anywhere in the world at present, which is especially valuable for spotting long-range kamikaze drones, as well as cruise missiles. The Boeing 737-based design is also adaptable to other mission needs, including battle management and serving as a networking node using its own expansive communications and data-sharing suite. TWZ highlighted all of this in March, when Australia announced it was sending one of its E-7s to the Middle East to help Gulf Arab States defend against Iranian attacks.

Northrop Grumman MESA Radar - Boeing E-7 AEWC thumbnail

Northrop Grumman MESA Radar – Boeing E-7 AEWC




Hegseth’s comments today on the change in mindset at the Pentagon do not touch on the argument that he and others made last year, that the E-7 was too vulnerable to be viable in future conflicts. This was despite an accompanying plan for the acquisition of more of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes that the U.S. Navy currently flies to fill airborne early warning capability gaps in the absence of an Air Force Wedgetail fleet. TWZ and others had quickly pointed out that the same survivability questions applied equally to the E-2D, which is also not as capable an aircraft as the E-7, which you can read more about here.

A US Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. USN

When previously arguing for its cancellation, Hegseth and others had also cited cost overruns and delays that had befallen the Air Force’s Wedgetail program since it first kicked off back in 2022.

As noted, Congress had interceded to save the E-7 from purgatory, at least in Fiscal Year 2026, appropriating more than $1 billion in new funding for the program. Of the seven Wedgetails the Air Force has on order now, five were put on contract just this past March. The service had previously ordered two other jets to support rapid prototyping efforts. Even so, the Air Force had continued to sound somewhat noncommittal about the future of the E-7 program.

“We, of course, as we always do, follow congressional direction, and we will do the [E-7] rapid prototypes. We will fund those rapid prototypes,” Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink told TWZ and other outlets at a roundtable on the sidelines of the Air & Space Forces Association’s (AFA) annual Warfare Symposium in February. “They told us to deliver a plan for additional aircraft. Now we will do that.”

“By the way, ‘deliver a plan’ does not mean we’re going to put it in the budget,” Meink also said at that time. “We will deliver a plan of what it takes to do it, and then we’ll have a discussion with them [Congress].”

This is what turned out to be the case, at least initially, with the E-7 again being absent from the Air Force’s proposed 2027 Fiscal Year budget when it was rolled out in full last month.

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail. RAAF

“The Department [of the Air Force] is committing to work with you to figure out how to adjust the [20]27 budget submission to fund the E-7, and then work the [20]28 [budget] going forward,” Meink said at a separate hearing more recently, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine.

Despite the Pentagon saying its position on the E-7 has now completely changed, when the Air Force might begin flying the jets operationally remains to be seen. The service’s original goal was to have Wedgetails flying real-world missions in 2027, but the schedule had already slipped to 2032 by the beginning of last year. Though it is back underway now, the program was effectively frozen for much of 2025, which could easily have set the timeline back even further. Steps could also now be taken to try to accelerate the acquisition and fielding of the aircraft.

In the meantime, the E-3 fleet, which has already shrunk dramatically in recent years, continues to struggle to meet operational requirements. Demand for AWACSs has now surged further due to the latest conflict with Iran. As noted, the Iranians also destroyed one of these prized aircraft in March. The Air Force has said that it is looking into replacing various aircraft lost in the fighting with Iran so far, but it is unclear if this will include regenerating a previously retired Sentry from storage. That would be a long and costly process, but there is no other realistic source available for a replacement E-3, the very last of which were delivered in the early 1990s.

As it stands now, the Pentagon and the Air Force look to have fully dropped their opposition to moving ahead with fielding the already sorely needed fleet of new E-7s.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

Joseph has been a member of The War Zone team since early 2017. Prior to that, he was an Associate Editor at War Is Boring, and his byline has appeared in other publications, including Small Arms Review, Small Arms Defense Journal, Reuters, We Are the Mighty, and Task & Purpose.


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Ryanair to axe 700,000 seats to popular European holiday destination this year

RYANAIR is axing MORE flights to Europe – hitting four popular airports this year.

The budget airline has confirmed that it would be closing its base at Thessaloniki as well as reducing flights at Athens.

Stunning views of Kalyves bay and beach. Beautiful Crete island, Greece.
Greek holiday destinations Crete (pictured) as well as Athens and Thessaloniki are the latest to have Ryanair flights scrapped Credit: Alamy

Not only that, but off-season flights to Chania and Heraklion in Crete have been scrapped.

This means 700,000 fewer seats on sale this winter, working out to a 45 per cent reduction, and resulting in 12 routes being scrapped in total.

Ryanair has cited airport charges as the reason behind the reduction in flights, saying the airports are “no longer competitive” in the off peak season.

Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness said they “regretted” the closures and reductions, but said it was because of the “failure to pass through the ADF reduction” unlike other airports in Greece.

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He added: ” The Fraport Greece monopoly have hiked airport charges +66% since 2019.

“Unfortunately, there will now be less low-cost air fares for Thessaloniki’s citizens and visitors, and year-round tourism will be harmed as a result.

“These aircraft will be reallocated to Albania, regional Italy and Sweden, where airports have passed on their Govt’s aviation tax savings – resulting in more connectivity, tourism and jobs this Winter in those regions.”

It comes as the budget airline axes millions of seats elsewhere in Europe.

Last summer, they airline confirmed two million seats across Spain would be scrapped, with all routes to Tenerife North, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, Jerez and Valladolid cancelled.

And back in March, Ryanair cancelled all flights to The Azores, often dubbed the Hawaii of Europe.

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