American airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft, principally used in NATO, UK, France, and Saudi Arabia since the Cold War. Key figures: top speed 853 km/h, range 7,400 km, service ceiling 8,839 m, max takeoff weight 147,417 kg, unit price $270M, built 68. In service with 4 air forces as of 2026 — United States (14), Saudi Arabia (5), France (4) and 1 other.
| Crew | 17 |
| Length | 46.6 m (153.0 ft) |
| Wingspan | 44.4 m (145.8 ft) |
| Height | 12.6 m (41.3 ft) |
| Wing area | 283 m² (3046.2 sqft) |
| Empty weight | 83,915 kg (185,001 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 147,417 kg (324,998 lbs) |
| Powerplant | 4 × turbofans Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-100A 9,752 kgf each |
| Maximum speed | 853 km/h (530 mph) |
| Operational range | 7,400 km (4,598 mi) |
| Endurance | 8 hours |
| Service ceiling | 8,839 m (28,999 ft) |
United States
Second E-3 Sentry damaged in the Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base.
Damaged
United States
E-3G Sentry AWACS (s/n 81-0005) destroyed on ground at Prince Sultan Air Base by Iranian missile and drone strike; rear fuselage burned out, radome structure collapsed.
Destroyed
The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft manufactured by Boeing. Derived from the Boeing 707 airliner, it provides all-weather surveillance, command, control, and communications. The aircraft entered service with the United States Air Force in March 1977. The E-3 is known for its distinctive rotating radar dome mounted above the fuselage.
In 1963, the United States Air Force initiated a requirement to replace its Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star fleet. Boeing, Douglas, and Lockheed submitted aircraft proposals, with Boeing selected in July 1970 using a modified 707 design. In a parallel competition for the radar system, Westinghouse Electric's design was chosen over Hughes Aircraft following fly-off evaluations using two EC-137D testbeds. The first testbed flew on 9 February 1972, and the first preproduction aircraft flew in February 1975. Production began with initial deliveries in 1977 and concluded in 1992 after 68 aircraft were constructed.
The E-3 Sentry uses a modified Boeing 707-320B Advanced airframe fitted with four Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-100A turbofans or CFM56-2 engines depending on the operator. Electronics and radar systems are powered by four engine-mounted generators producing 1 megawatt of electrical power. Its primary sensor is an AN/APY-1 or AN/APY-2 passive electronically scanned array radar housed inside a 30-foot-diameter, hydraulically rotated dome mounted 11 feet above the fuselage. The radar system provides low-altitude detection out to 250 miles and medium-to-high altitude detection out to 400 miles. Unrefueled endurance is 8 hours for TF33 variants and 11 hours for CFM56 variants, with range extendable via air-to-air refueling.
The E-3 entered service with the USAF 552nd Airborne Warning and Control Wing in March 1977. Operational deployments include Operation Desert Storm in 1991, where E-3s flew 379 missions, as well as operations over Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In addition to the USAF, the aircraft was acquired by NATO, the United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, and second-hand by Chile. Four aircraft have been lost in hull-loss accidents, including a 1995 bird-strike crash at Elmendorf Air Force Base and a ground attack at Prince Sultan Air Base in 2026.
E-3A: Initial production variant equipped with Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines and AN/APY-1 radar.
E-3B: USAF Block 30 modification featuring system enhancements, GPS capability, and Joint Tactical Information Distribution System upgrades.
E-3C: USAF Block 35 production standard fitted with an AN/APY-2 radar and additional electronic consoles.
E-3D: RAF production model designated Sentry AEW.1, powered by CFM56 engines and featuring British avionics modifications.
E-3G: USAF Block 40/45 modification replacing legacy computers and software with Linux- and Windows-based processing architectures.
Just 20 of the 162 air forces tracked by GlobalMilitary.net operate airborne early warning aircraft in 2026; the United States leads with 98, but 83 are carrier-based Navy Hawkeyes, leaving the US Air Force with 15 aging E-3 Sentries against China's 81 land-based radar aircraft.
