In July 2009, Boeing received a $44m
LRIP contract for six Block 40/45 upgrade
kits from the Electronic Systems Center at
Hanscom AFB. Work to update the aircraft
to the E-3G configuration is being carried out
by what is now called the Oklahoma City Air
Logistics Complex at Tinker during regularly
scheduled periodic depot maintenance.
Modification of the first aircraft, 82-0007,
began in November 2010 and was completed
on May 17, 2011, after which the E-3G flew
to Boeing’s facility in Seattle, Washington, for
qualification testing.
Delivery of the second E-3G followed
on March 20, 2012 and a 24-flight IOT&E,
supported by the 965th AACS, concluded
in June 2012. The centre delivered the final
LRIP E-3G on June 26, 2014 and IOC was
achieved on July 28. A full-rate production
contract, which included a technology refresh
for the LRIP aircraft, was issued to Boeing
on December 27, 2012 and the first aircraft
entered the depot on April 8, 2015.
Designated as D-1, E-3B serial 77-0351
was the first USAF Sentry to undergo a major
cockpit modification under the Diminishing
Manufacturing Sources Replacement
of Avionics for Global Operations and
Navigation (DRAGON) programme – for
which Boeing received a $368m engineering,
manufacturing and development (EMD)
contract to modernise the flight deck and
avionics for the USAF and NATO E-3 fleets in
May 2012.
The company had previously selected the
Rockwell Collins Flight2 Integrated Avionics
System, which also equips the USAF KC-10A
Extender tanker fleet.
DRAGON replaces most of the Sentry’s
analogue indicators with five customisable
digital multicolour ‘glass’ displays, which
can show engine, navigation and situational
awareness information. Additionally, many ofthe legacy avionics are replaced with updated
airspace-compliant subsystems.
The programme also includes new air
data and flight management computers, a
weather radar that can predict wind shear,
an enhanced ground proximity warning
system (EGPWS), Mode-5 IFF capability, an
engine instrument and crew alerting system
(EICAS) and a fully digital flight deck audio
distribution system. This modification enables
the aircraft to meet International Civil Aviation
Organization communications, navigation
and surveillance/air traffic management
mandates.
Besides ensuring the Sentry complies
with current and future international and
domestic air traffic control requirements, the
upgrades also enable the aircraft to access to
reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM)
airspace and optimal flight levels, increasing
fuel efficiency and reducing clearance delays- and eliminate the need for a navigator,
reducing the flightdeck crew from four to
three.
The D-1 aircraft arrived at Boeing’s Seattle
facility on October 22, 2014 and made its
initial post-modification test flight on April
20, 2016. It returned to the 552nd ACW on
January 9, 2017. IOT&E is scheduled to begin
in mid-2019 and the upgrades will eventually
be installed in 31 Sentries. Boeing received
an LRIP contract on June 29, 2017 and the
USAF expects delivery of the last DRAGON-
enabled E-3 in 2025.
Another upgrade, known as Electronic
Protection (EP), which will equip the RSIP
radar with a second processor, is currently
under development. According to USAF
budgetary documents it will provide improved
radar processing “in a specific flight envelope
to meet a classified requirement” and
developmental testing will begin early next
year. The Communication Network Upgrade
will improve communications performance by
incorporating the Multifunctional Information
Distribution System/Joint Tactical Radio
System (MIDS/JTRS). EMD is scheduled to
begin later in 2019.DEPLOYED
The E-3G began its first combat deployment
to the US Central Command’s (CENTCOM’s)
area of responsibility (AOR) on November 18,
2015.
On arrival at Al Dhafra Air Base in the
United Arab Emirates, the aircraft and crews
were assigned to the 380th Air Expeditionary
Wing’s 968th Expeditionary Airborne Air
Control Squadron (EAACS), the E-3G
conducting its first combat mission on
November 21.
Prior to this deployment, E-3Gs flew
counter-drug sorties and Operation Noble
Eagle homeland defence missions in support
of US Southern (SOUTHCOM) and US
Northern Command (NORTHCOM).
As of March 2018, the USAF had received
17 E-3Gs, and conversion of the last of 24
aircraft should be completed by 2020.
The E-3G is flown by three crew – a pilot,
co-pilot and flight engineer. Responsibility
for the AWACS mission set is assigned to the
Mission Crew Commander: typically 14 or
more personnel are allocated, although the
number varies.
The aircraft’s 14 configurable situation
display and two battle staff consoles are
operated by specialists comprising a Senior
Director (SD), Air Weapons (AWO), Airhttp://www.aviation-news.co.uk 65Above left: The Sentry is due to remain in
USAF service until 2035. USAF/Kelly White
Above right: The first of 24 E-3 Sentry aircraft
to undergo the DRAGON complete glass
flight deck modification close to touchdown
at Tinker AFB January 9, 2017. USAF/Kelly
WhiteUSAF E-3s deployed to Al Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates to provide air communications and surveillance capabilities to US and Coalition
fighter and reconnaissance aircraft conducting air strikes and patrols in Iraqi and Syrian airspace in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
USAF/Tech Sgt Gregory Brook62-67_e3sDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 65 02/03/2018 17:54