Airborne Warning And Control System

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Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) is a radar-based electronic system designed to carry out airborne surveillance, and C2BM (command and control, battle management) functions for both tactical and air defence forces. The "rotodome" radome system is designed and built by Boeing (Defense & Space Group) using Westinghouse (now Northrop Grumman) radar and flown on either the E-3 Sentry aircraft (Boeing 707) or more recently a modified Boeing 767. Only the Japanese Air Force has the 767 version. All US and NATO E-3s are the Boeing 707.

Modern AWACS systems can detect aircraft from up to 400 km away, well out of range of any anti-air weapons. In air-to-air combat, AWACS systems can communicate with friendly aircraft, extend their sensor range and give them added stealth, since they no longer need their own active radar to detect threats. However, by the nature of radar, AWACS aircraft can be detected by opposing forces at precisely twice its own detection range.

These aircraft are used by the USAF, NATO, the RAF, French Air Force, Saudi Arabia, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

The USAF has an inventory of 33 E-3 Sentry aircraft (originally 34, but one crashed on take-off at Elmendorf in Alaska due to multiple bird strikes), the majority of which are located at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. The Air Battle Manager Badge and the Weapons Director Badge are two Air Force badges which are authorized for officer and enlisted personnel (respectively) assigned to E-3 aircraft or similar C3 functions carried out on ground radar systems. USAF AWACS Air Battle Managers (ABM) are awarded wings similar to pilots and navigators.

NATO also has 17 (originally 18, but one was lost due to an accident) E-3 Sentry aircraft, stationed in Geilenkirchen, Germany. The UK possesses seven and France four additional planes.

In USAF service, this role could be taken over by the E-10 MC2A if the program is funded.

In Soviet service, the Beriev A-50 "Mainstay" is an AWACS conversion of the standard Ilyushin Il-76 "Candid" strategic airlifter. Systems integration and radar performance are considered to be markedly inferior to the E-3. Several foreign countries (Iraq, China, and India) have also used the Il-76 as the base platform for their own airborne radar needs.

Israel has developed the IAI/Elta Phalcon system, which uses an Active Electronically Scanned Array in lieu of a rotodome antenna. The Israelis have mounted the system on a Boeing platform and have sold the radar system to India and Chile. Australia and Turkey are planning to deploy versions of the AEW&C Boeing 737 variant, using the Northrop Grumman MESA radar system.

The U.S. Navy (and the armed forces of several other nations) use the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye for its Airborne Early Warning (AEW) missions, though the U.S. uses it in a shipboard role.. AEW aircraft offer a limited subset of capability. The Royal Australian Air Force will take delivery of its first Boeing 737 Project Wedgetail AEW aircraft in late 2006. The Wedgetail is the newest aircraft of its type.

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