E-3 Sentry (AWACS)

Boeing · United States · first flew 1975 · transport aircraft

The E-3 Sentry is an airborne early warning and control aircraft built on the Boeing 707 airframe, carrying a rotating radar dome that lets it detect and direct air operations over wide areas.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, swept
E — Engines	4 × turbofan, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Large disc rotodome mounted on struts above the rear fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

707-based low swept wing with four turbofans
Large disc rotodome mounted on struts above the rear fuselage
Conventional swept tail of the airliner family

Look for a 707-family airframe with a low swept wing and four turbofans, then the unmistakable rotodome riding on struts above the rear fuselage. The big disc radar makes it impossible to confuse with an airliner.

Specifications

The E-3 Sentry (AWACS) has a length of 46.6 m (153 ft).
It has a wingspan of 44.4 m (146 ft).
Its maximum speed is 853 km/h (530 mph).
Typical crew: Up to 20 (flight crew plus mission team).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Boeing developed the E-3 for the US Air Force, with flight testing of the first production aircraft beginning in October 1975 and delivery from 1977. NATO and several nations later acquired the type.

Variants

Versions include the USAF E-3B/C/G, the NATO E-3A fleet, the French and Saudi aircraft with CFM56 engines, and the former RAF E-3D Sentry AEW1.

Where you'll see it

The RAF operated the E-3D Sentry from RAF Waddington until its 2021 retirement ahead of the E-7 Wedgetail; NATO's E-3A fleet continues to support UK and allied operations and appears at RIAT Fairford.

Related aircraft

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