Overview
AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) is also known as Airborne early Warning and Control System (AEW&C). AWAC is a radar system that is intended to identify the aircraft and for the surveillance of the area. It is used at high latitude, and can identify hostile and friendly aircraft at a range of 402 kms (250 miles).
AWAC system is used for offensive and defensive air operations, and also used for command and control, battle management (also known as C2BM) functions and also to carry out the surveillance. The British developed radar system for Air Controlled Interception that could be mounted on an aircraft. It was developed to cover the North West approaches from the German Fw 200 Condor aircraft. US Navy started the Project Cadillac for the development of the radar system that could be mounted on an aircraft in February 1944. The radar system was built and tested on a TBM Avenger torpedo bomber (it is an aircraft), it was able to detect the low flying formations at a range of 161 kms (100 miles). Since the test was successful, the US Navy ordered the production of first AEW aircraft TBM-3W. In March 1945, TBM-3W fitted with the AN/APS-20 radar entered the service.
The Soviet Tupolev Design Bureau tried to fit the radar system in a Tupolev Tu-116 and Tu-95 in 1958, but they decided to use Tu-114 fuselages due to the operator and cooling space problem with Tu-116 and Tu-95 fuselages. The plane was fixed with an air refueling receiver to meet the flight range requirements, which result in the Tu-126 that was used by the Soviet Air Forces.
E-2 Hawkeye and E-3 Sentry are the most popular AWACs system worldwide. E-3 Sentry was developed by the Boeing Aerospace and Defense Group and was mounted on the Boeing 707 aircraft. E-2 Hawkeye was developed by the Northrop Grumman in 1965 for the United States Navy.
AWACS System
• Westinghouse/Boeing AWACS system – This system was designed with radome (combination of radar and dome that protects a radar system) by Boeing (Aerospace and Defense Group) using Westinghouse radar (now known as Northrop Grumman). This system is mounted on E-3 Sentry (Boeing 707) aircraft. Japanese Air Self-Defense Force uses this system on E-767 (Boeing 767).
• Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI)/ELTA Phalcon radar – The Phalcon, world’s most advanced AWACs system was developed by ELTA using AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) technology instead of radome used by current AWACs system in Israel. This system was developed for export and for Israeli Defense Force that was mounted on the Boeing 707 platform. The second generation of the Phalcon system Green Pine was developed by the IAI EL/M-2080 for the Israeli Defense Force. IAI has recently put in service for a more compact and efficient version of the Phalcom system Gulfstream G550 CAEW, the third generation of this radar system.
AWACs system worldwide
United States currently has 14 AWACs system –
• E-3 Sentry
• Boeing PB-1W Flying Fortress
• Boeing 737 AEW&C
• Boeing E-767
• Douglas AD-3/4/5W Skyraider
• Grumman E-1 Tracer
• Grumman TBM-3W Avenger
• Grumman E-2 Hawkeye
• Grumman AF-2W Guardian
• Lockheed P-3 AEW&C
• Lockheed EC-130V Hercules
• Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star
United Kingdom currently has 5 AWACs system –
• E-3 Sentry
• Avro Shackleton
• Fairey Gannet
• Hawker Siddely Nimrod AEW3
• Seaking Mk 7 (AEW.5)
China currently has 4 AWACs system –
• KJ-1 AEWC
• KJ-200
• KJ-2000
• Y-8 AWACS/Y-8J AEW
Soviet Union/Russia currently has 3 AWACs system –
• Beriev A-50 Shmel
• Kamov Ka-31 Helix
• Tupolev Tu-126 Moss
India currently has 3 AWACs system –
• Phalcon
• Kamov Ka-31 Helix
• DRDO AEW&CS
Pakistan currently has 3 AWACs system –
• Saab 2000 Erieye
• ZDK-03Y-8 AWACS/Y-8J AEW
• Lockheed P-3 AEW&C
Other countries –
• Brazil – Embraer R-99A Erieye
• Iran – HESA IrAn-140
• Italy - AgustaWestland AW101 Model 112
• Saudi Arabia – E-3 Sentry
• Turkey – Boeing 737 AEW&C
• Sweden – Saab 340 and Saab 2000 Erieye
• Israel – IAI 707 Phalcon and IAI Eitam
