Boeing E-3 Sentry: Difference between revisions

E-3 Sentry
	United States Air Force E-3 Sentry
Role	Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS)
Manufacturer	Boeing Integrated Defense Systems ; Northrop Grumman (radar)
First flight	25 May 1976 (E-3A with full mission avionics)
Introduction	March 1977
Primary users	United States Air Force; Royal Air Force ; Royal Saudi Air Force ; NATO
Produced	1977-1991
Number built	68
Developed from	Boeing 707-320

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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.^[1]^[2]

Development

In June 1965, the United States Air Force (USAF) asked for proposals for feasibility studies into the provision of an Airborne Early Warning and Control system to replace the Air Force's existing EC-121 Warning Stars, which served in the Airborne Early Warning role, taking advantage of improvements in radar technology which allowed airborne radars to "Look Down" and detect low flying aircraft, even over land, which would previously be undetectable due to ground clutter. Contracts were given to Boeing, Douglas and Lockheed, with Lockheed being eliminated in July 1966. In 1967, a parallel programme was put into place to develop the radar, with Westinghouse and Hughes being asked to compete to supply the radar for the new aircraft.^[3] Whoever won the radar competition, the Westinghouse radar antenna was going to be used. Westinghouse had pioneered the design of high power RF phase shifters (called Fox Phase Shifters after Gardner Fox of Bell Labs, who designed them). The earlier non-rotating antenna designs given-up due to cost.^{[citation needed]}

Boeing's proposal, for an aircraft based on the Boeing 707, but powered by eight General Electric TF34 engines and carrying its radar in a rotating rotodome located above the fuselage, was selected ahead of McDonnell Douglas's proposal based on the DC-8 in July 1970. Initial orders were placed for two aircraft, designated EC-137D as test beds to evaluate the two competing radar designs. As the test-beds did not need the same 14 hour endurance demanded of the production aircraft, the EC-137s retained the normal Pratt & Whitney JT3D engines of the airliner.^[3] The first of the two EC-137s first flew on 9 February 1972, with the fly-off between the two radars beginning in March and continuing until August that year. As a result of these tests, the Westinghouse radar was chosen for the production aircraft.^[4] The Hughes radar was initially thought to be a sure thing, because much of the design was also going into the new F-15 radar program. The Westinghouse radar used an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) to digitally resolve targets, while the Hughes used analog filters from the F-15 design. The Westinghouse team won the competition by having a programmable 18-bit computer that software could be (and was) modified before each flight, and for multiplexing a Beyond The Horizon (BTH) mode that could complement the Pulse Doppler radar mode. This proved beneficial when the BTH mode was used to detect ships.

Approval was given on 26 January 1973 for full scale development of the AWACS aircraft, with orders being placed for three pre-production aircraft to allow further development of the aircraft's systems, with the first of these aircraft flying in February 1975. One change was that, in order to save costs, the endurance requirements were relaxed allowing the new aircraft to retain the four JT-3D (given the US Military designation TF-33) engines.^[5]^[3]

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.^[1] The dome weighs approximately 1.5 tons and provides 1.5 tons of lift.^{[citation needed]} It contains a hydraulically rotated antenna system that permits the AN/APY-1/2 passive electronically scanned array radar system to provide surveillance from the Earth's surface up into the stratosphere, over land or water. Generators on each of the four engines provide the one megawatt of power required by the radar.^[1] 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 (essentially above the radar horizon). 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. ^[1]^[6]^[2]

The USAF E-3 fleet completed its largest upgrade in 2001. Known as the Block 30/35 Modification Program, the upgrade includes four enhancements:^[7]

Electronic Support Measures (ESM) for passive detection, an electronic surveillance capability to detect and identify air and surface-based emitters.
Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) to provide secure, anti-jam communication for information distribution, position location and identification capabilities.
An increase in the memory capability in the computer to accommodate JTIDS (Link-16), ESM and future enhancements.
Global Positioning System (GPS).

Future direction

Since the Boeing 707 is no longer in production, the E-3 mission package has been fitted into the Boeing E-767 for the Japan Air Self Defence Force. The E-10 MC2A was intended to replace the United States operated E-3 (along with the RC-135 and the E-8 Joint STARS), but the E-10 program has been canceled. The USAF has now taken a new direction with the E-3 platform. It is investing and currently testing its block 40/45 modification. Currently, the USAF has one Block 40/45 E-3 that is under going flight testing, research and development. Another program that is currently in R&D is the Airframe Modernization Program (AMP). AMP would provide the E-3 with a glass cockpit and possibly re-engine the USAF fleet of E-3's with an engine that is more reliable and at least 20% more fuel efficient. New engines would give the USAF E-3's a longer range, longer time on station, shorter critical runway length (meaning the E-3 could now operate with a full fuel load on a runway with only 10,000 feet at higher temperatures and pressure altitude) and at a higher altitude that would provide better range for its line of sight sensors, however the cost to modify the entire fleet of E-3s with newer engines has always been cost prohibitive.

Design

USAF E-3 Sentry prepared for flight at 4 Wing Cold Lake, Canada

Other major subsystems in the E-3 are navigation, communications and computers (data processing). Consoles display computer-processed data in graphic and tabular format on video screens. Console operators perform surveillance, identification, weapons control, battle management and communications functions.^[1]

The radar and computer subsystems on the E-3 Sentry can gather and present broad and detailed battlefield information. Data are collected as events occur. This includes position and tracking information on enemy aircraft and ships, and location and status of friendly aircraft and naval vessels. The information can be sent to major command and control centers in rear areas or aboard ships. In times of crisis, data can be forwarded to the National Command Authority in the United States.^[1]

In support of air-to-ground operations, the Sentry can provide direct information needed for interdiction, reconnaissance, airlift and close-air support for friendly ground forces. It can also provide information for commanders of air operations to gain and maintain control of the air battle, whilst as an air defense asset, E-3s can detect, identify and track airborne enemy forces far from the boundaries of the United States or NATO countries and can direct fighter-interceptor aircraft to these enemy targets.^[1]

The E-3 as equipped in USAF and NATO service can fly without refueling for 8 hours or 4000 miles, whilst newer examples in British, French and Saudi service, equipped with CFM56-2 engines can fly for 10 hours or 5000 miles without refuelling. Its range and on-station time can be increased through inflight refueling and the use of an on-board crew rest area. The range and loiter time can be used to alter the flight plan as required for operation reasons. ^[1]^[2]

Engineering, test and evaluation began on the first E-3 Sentry in October 1975. In March 1977 the 552nd Airborne Warning and Control Wing (now the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma received the first E-3 aircraft.^[1]

Radar System Improvement Program

The Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) was a joint U.S./NATO development program.^[1] RSIP enhances the operational capability of the E-3 radar electronic counter-measures, and dramatically improve the system's reliability, maintainability and availability.^[1] Essentially, the program replaced the old TTL and MECL logic that was no longer available, with off-the-shelf computers. These computers being programmed in a high-level language instead of assembler. The real improvement comes from replacing the old 8-bit fixed-point FFT with a floating-point FFT. This hardware and software modification to the E-3 improves radar set performance providing enhanced detection of targets, with an emphasis toward those with a low radar cross section (RCS).^[1]

Major advantages include: Increased range against reduced RCS targets to include cruise missiles; Improved electronic counter-counter measures (ECCM) against current threats; Improved radar system reliability and maintainability (R&M); and Improved radar control and maintenance panel (RCMP) with embedded test equipment.^[1] RSIP utilizes a Pulse Doppler Pulse Compression (PDPC) waveform, increases data sampling rates, increases range and velocity resolution, increases signal integration time, adds new signal processing algorithms to enhance detection sensitivity and unambiguous range determination, and improves radar set monitoring and control. RSIP is a huge leap forward in a variety of factors. It increases the ability to detect and track smaller targets at greater distances, akin to giving the radar a set of binoculars. It also improves the reliability and maintainability for the radar hardware, which decreases the number of spares and amount of down time needed for repairs. Improved control and processing algorithms tailored to current threat data enhances system electronic counter-countermeasure (ECCM) capabilities. The improved electronic counter-counter measures mean it will be much more difficult for enemy forces to deceive or "jam" the AWACS with false electronic signals.

The U.K. also has joined the U.S. in adding RSIP to upgrade their radar. Retrofit of the fleet was completed in December 2000. Along with the RSIP upgrade was installation of the Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems which dramatically improve positioning accuracy. In 2002, Boeing was awarded a contract to add RSIP to the French AWACS fleet. Installation was completed in 2006.^[1]^[8]

Operational history

In total, 68 aircraft were built, with 2 hull losses (one USAF aircraft, one NATO aircraft).^[9]^[10]

The United States Air Force have a total of 33 E-3s in active service. 28 are stationed at Tinker AFB and belong to the Air Combat Command (ACC). Four are assigned to the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and stationed at Kadena AB, Okinawa and Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. One aircraft (TS-3) is assigned to the Boeing Aircraft Company for testing and development.^[1]

NATO acquired 18 E-3As and support equipment for a NATO air defense force. Since all aircraft must be registered with a certain country, the decision was made to register the 18 NATO AWACS planes with Luxembourg, a NATO country that until that point had not had any air force. The first NATO E-3 was delivered in January 1982. Presently 17 NATO E-3As are in the inventory, since one NATO E-3 was lost in a crash.^[10]

NATO members United Kingdom and France are not part of the NATO E-3A Component, instead procuring E-3 aircraft through a joint project. The UK and France operate their E-3 aircraft independently of each other and of NATO.^[11] The UK operates seven aircraft and France operates four aircraft, all fitted with the newer CFM56-2 engines.^[2] The British requirement came about following unsatisfactory tests with modified Hawker Siddeley Nimrod aircraft to replace the Avro Shackleton AEW platform during the 1980s, with an order being placed in February 1987, deliveries starting in 1990.^[8]^[10]^[12]

The other operator of the type is Saudi Arabia which operates five aircraft, all fitted with CFM56-2 engines.^[2] Japan has four Boeing E-767 aircraft equipped to similar standards.^[1]

E-3 Sentry aircraft were among the first to deploy during Operation Desert Shield where they immediately established an around-the-clock radar screen to defend against Iraqi forces. During Operation Desert Storm, E-3s flew more than 400 missions and logged more than 5,000 hours of on-station time. The data collection capability of the E-3 radar and computer subsystems allowed an entire air war to be recorded for the first time in history. In addition to providing senior leadership with time-critical information on the actions of enemy forces, E-3 controllers assisted in 38 of the 40 air-to-air kills recorded during the conflict.^[1]

In March 1996, the US Air Force activated the 513th Air Control Group (513 ACG), an ACC-gained Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) AWACS unit under the Reserve Associate Program. Collocated with the 552 ACW at Tinker AFB, the 513 ACG which performs similar duties on active duty E-3 aircraft shared with the 552 ACW.^[1]

Variants

EC-137D: Two prototype AWACS aircraft with JT3D engines, one fitted with a Westinghouse radar and the other with a Hughes radar. Both converted to E-3A standard with TF33 engines.
E-3A: Production aircraft with TF33 engines and AN/APY-1 radar, 25 built for USAF later converted to E-3B standard. 18 built for NATO with TF33 engines and five for Saudi Arabia with CFM56 engines.
KE-3A: These are not AWACS aircraft but CFM56 powered tankers for Saudi Arabia, 8 built.
E-3B: E-3As converted with AN/APY-2 radar and other improvements, 24 conversions.
E-3C: Production aircraft with system improvements, nine built. NATO E-3A aircraft although not re-designated have been modified to the same equipment standard.
JE-3C: One E-3A aircraft used by Boeing for trials later redesignated E-3C.
E-3D: Production aircraft for the Royal Air Force to E-3C standard with CFM56 engines and British modifications designated Sentry AEW.1, seven built.
E-3F: Production aircraft for the French Air Force to E-3C standard with CFM56 engines and French modifications, four built.
E-3G: USAF Block 40/45 modification with Airframe Modernization Program (AMP).
Sentry AEW.1: British designation for the E-3D.
TC-18E: used for E-3 Sentry crew proficiency training. No mission equipment.

Operators

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): Based in Geilenkirchen, Germany, 18 E-3 AWACS were purchased - one lost in Greece. All of these aircraft are officially registered as aircraft of Luxembourg, a NATO member with no other Air Force. Responsible for monitoring airspace for NATO operations around the world.

Squadron 1
Squadron 2
Squadron 3
Training Wing

France: The French Air Force purchased 4 E-3F aircraft similar to the British E-3D aircraft.

EDCA 01.036
EDCA 02.036

Saudi Arabia: The Royal Saudi Air Force purchased five E-3A aircraft and eight KE-3A tanker aircraft in 1983.

No. 18 Squadron RSAF

United Kingdom: Royal Air Force purchased 6 (later increased to 7) E-3D aircraft in December 1986. The aircraft are designated Sentry AEW.1.

United States: The United States Air Force purchased 34 E-3As (24 later modified to E-3B and 10 to E-3C). One E-3B was lost in a crash in 1995. Another is on loan to Boeing Integrated Defense Systems for continuous testing, research, and development.

552d Air Control Wing has 28 E-3s stationed at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma^[13]
3d Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
- 962d AACS
18th Wing, Kadena AB, Japan
- 961st AACS

Incidents and accidents

In the late 1980s after refueling from a KC-135 over Saudi Arabia an E-3 collided in mid-air with that refueling aircraft during unauthorized maneuvers. The E-3's left wingtip contacted the KC-135's wing inboard of the right inboard engine (#3), severing the control cables to the tanker's two starboard engines. Approximately 8 feet of the left wingtip of the E-3 broke off at a production break and was lost somewhere over the Arab desert. Both aircraft later recovered to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia without further incident.^{[citation needed]}

On 22 September 1995, a U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry (Callsign Yukla 27, serial number 77-0354), crashed shortly after take off from Elmendorf AFB, AK. The plane lost power to both port side engines after these engines ingested several Canada Geese during takeoff. The aircraft went down in a heavily wooded area (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/11826089) about two miles northeast of the runway, killing all 24 crew members on board.^[14]^[15]

A NATO AWACS was alleged to have ingested seagulls and crashed following an aborted take off on 14 July 1996 at Aktion, Greece.^[16] One crew member was slightly injured but the aircraft was totaled. It has been long maintained that the NATO loss in 1996 was attributable to the recent memory of the Yukla 27 crash of Sept 1995 which actually did suffer from severe bird strike damage.

Specifications

USAF/NATO aircraft

General characteristics

Crew: Flight crew: 4
Mission crew: 13-19

Performance

Royal Air Force/Royal Saudi Air Force/French Air Force aircraft