Boeing E-3A Sentry
Boeing · United States · first flew 1975 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft providing all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications over a wide area. Its distinctive rotating radar dome makes it one of the most recognisable military aircraft in the world.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Modified 707 airframe with large rotating radar rotodome on twin pylons above the fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Modified 707 airframe with large rotating radar rotodome on twin pylons above the fuselage
- Four pod-mounted turbofans under swept wings
- Unpressurised rotodome housing AWACS radar
The 9.1-metre rotating rotodome mounted on twin pylons above the rear fuselage is unmistakable; the 707-derived airframe with four underwing turbofan pods confirms identification.
Specifications
- The Boeing E-3A Sentry has a length of 46.61 m (153 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 44.42 m (146 ft).
- Typical crew: 4 flight crew plus mission specialists.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Based on the Boeing 707-320 airframe, the E-3A prototype flew in 1975 and the aircraft entered USAF service in 1977. It provided NATO and US forces with unprecedented airspace management capability and played central roles in the Gulf War, Balkans operations, and post-9/11 campaigns.
Variants
The E-3A was the initial US production version; the E-3B and E-3C introduced expanded computer systems and additional consoles; NATO operates a standardised E-3A variant, and the UK and France operate the Sentry AEW1 and E-3F respectively.
Where you'll see it
E-3 Sentrys have served continuously with the USAF, NATO, Saudi Arabia, France and the UK since the late 1970s, providing around-the-clock airspace surveillance in every major conflict of the era.
Related aircraft
- Boeing 747SP
- Boeing AH-64 Apache
- E-3 Sentry (AWACS)
- Boeing T-43A
- Lockheed WP-3D Orion
- AstroFlight Sunrise
- Ryan YQM-98
- Tupolev Tu-141
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