5052 x 3462 px | 42,8 x 29,3 cm | 16,8 x 11,5 inches | 300dpi
Data acquisizione:
2008
Ubicazione:
RAF Kinloss Moray Grampian Region Scotland
Altre informazioni:
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. 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] 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 1 megawatt of power required by the radar. 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. The first E-3 Sentry rolled out of the Boeing factory on February 1, 1972The USAF E-3 fleet completed its largest upgrade in 2001. Known as the Block 30/35 Modification Program, the upgrade includes four enhancements 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.
