Boeing E-3 Sentry Country: USA Type: AWACS Manufacturer: Boeing Service: 1977 - 2008 First Flight: October 1975 Production: 68

The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American military airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft that provides all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications, to the United States, United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, and NATO air defense forces. Production ended in 1992 after 68 had been built.

The E-3 Sentry is a modified Boeing 707-320B Advanced commercial airframe. Modifications included a rotating radar dome, single-point ground, and air refueling points. The dome is 30 feet (9.1 m) in diameter, six feet (1.8 m) thick at the center, and is held 14 feet (4.2 m) above the fuselage by two struts. Generators on each of the four engines provide the one megawatt of power required by the radar.

The Pulse Doppler radar has a range of more than 250 miles (400 km) for low-flying targets at its operating altitude (essentially to the radar horizon), and the Pulse(BTH) beyond the horizon radar has a range of approximately 400 miles (650 km) for aerospace vehicles flying at medium to high altitudes. The radar combined with an SSR subsystem can look down to detect, identify and track enemy and friendly low-flying aircraft by eliminating ground clutter returns.

In total, 68 aircraft were built, with 2 hull losses (one USAF aircraft, one NATO aircraft). The United States Air Force have a total of 33 E-3s in active service. NATO acquired 18 E-3As and support equipment for a NATO air defense force. The UK and France operate their E-3 aircraft independently of each other and of NATO; the UK operates seven aircraft and France operates four aircraft, all fitted with the newer CFM56-2 engines. The other operator of the type is Saudi Arabia which operates five aircraft.

General characteristics