Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft are airborne radar systems designed to detect and track aircraft, missiles, ships and vehicles and provide command and control to direct friendly forces. Some operators, such as the Royal Air Force refer to such aircraft as Airborne early warning (AEW), while others reserve the shorter name for AEW aircraft lacking command and control facilities.
Current AEW&C operators
OperatorAircraftUnit(s)TotalCountryRoyal Australian Air ForceAir Forces Intelligence, Air Forces Monthly magazine, August 2008 issue, p. 91.Boeing E-7 Wedgetail No. 2 Squadron RAAFAustraliaBrazilian Air ForceEmbraer R-99ABrazilChilean Air ForceBoeing E-3D SentryChilePeople's Liberation Army Air ForceKJ-2000Gordon, 2010, p.51China (PRC)People's Liberation Army Air ForceKJ-200+China (PRC)People's Liberation Army Air Force/ People's Liberation Army Naval Air ForceKJ-500+China (PRC)People's Liberation Army Naval Air ForceKamov Ka-31 Helix BUnknown (Carrier Division)China (PRC)People's Liberation Army Naval Air ForceChanghe Z-8 AEWUnknown (Carrier Division)China (PRC)People's Liberation Army Naval Air ForceChanghe Z-18JUnknown (Carrier Division)China (PRC)Republic of China Air ForceGrumman E-2T/K HawkeyeChina (ROC/“Taiwan”)Egyptian Air ForceGrumman E-2C HawkeyeEgyptFrench Air ForceBoeing E-3F SentryFranceFrench NavyGrumman E-2C Hawkeye or 4FranceHellenic Air ForceEmbraer EMB-145HGreeceIndian Air ForceBeriev A-50EI No. 50 SquadronIndiaIndian Air ForceDRDO AEW&CSGordon, 2010, pp.51–52No. 200 SquadronIndiaIndian NavyKamov Ka-31 Helix BINAS 339IndiaIsraeli Air ForceGulfstream G550 CAEW"The Military Balance 2010". Page 256. International Institute for Strategic Studies, February 3, 2010.IsraelItalian Air ForceGulfstream G550 CAEW14° StormoItaly receives first of two G550 CAEW aircraft from Israel IHS Jane's 360ItalyJapan Air Self-Defense ForceBoeing E-767AEW GroupJapanJapan Air Self-Defense ForceGrumman E-2C HawkeyeAEW GroupJapanKorean People's Air ForceAntonov An-24North KoreaRepublic of Korea Air ForceBoeing E-7 Wedgetail 5th Tactical Airlift WingSouth KoreaMexican Air ForceEmbraer 145AEW&C501st SquadronMexicoNATOBoeing E-3A SentryNATO AEW&C FC SeveralPakistan Air ForceSaab 2000 Erieye No. 13 SquadronPakistanPakistan Air ForceShaanxi ZDK-03 K. EagleNo. 4 Squadron PakistanRussian Air ForceForce Report: Russian Air Force, Air Forces Monthly magazine, July 2007 issue, p. 82.Beriev A-50Gordon, 2010, pp.19–60<RussiaRoyal Saudi Air ForceBoeing E-3A SentrySaudi ArabiaRoyal Saudi Air ForceSaab 2000 ErieyeSaudi ArabiaRepublic of Singapore Air ForceGulfstream G550SingaporeSwedish Air ForceSaab 340 AEW&CSwedenRoyal Thai Air ForceSaab 340 AEW&CThailandUnited States Air ForceBoeing E-3B/C Sentry,18th & 552nd WingsUnited StatesUnited States NavyGrumman E-2C-I/II Hawkeye10+ squadronsUnited StatesTurkish Air ForceBoeing E-7 Wedgetail 131st squadronTurkeyPolish Air ForceSaab 340 AEW&C43 Naval Aviation BasePolandUnited Arab Emirates Air ForceSaab GlobalEyeUnited Arab Emirates
Future operators OperatorAircraftFirst flightTotalIndian Air ForceAirbus A321 AEW&C Italian Air ForceIAI Eitam2015NATO Boeing E-7 Wedgetail 2004Russian Air ForceButowski, Piotr. "Model Reveals A-100 Configuration". Air International, April 2014. Retrieved: 21 July 2014.Beriev A-1002017Royal Air ForceBoeing E-7 Wedgetail 20043Royal Canadian Air Force2033Swedish Air ForceSaab GlobalEye20183Ukrainian Air ForceSaab 340 AEW&C19942United States Air ForceBoeing E-7 Wedgetail 200426 by 2032
Historical AEW operators
OperatorAircraftPeriodTotalSoviet Air ForcesAntonov An-71Gordon, 2010, pp.61–801985–1991Royal Air ForceAvro Shackleton AEW.2Hazell, 2004, pp.41Jones, 2002, pp.135–1601972–1991United States NavyBoeing PB-1W Flying Fortress1946–1955Royal Air ForceBritish Aerospace Nimrod AEW3Gunston, 2009, pp.117–1291982–1986United States Navy & Marine CorpsDouglas A-1W Skyraider1948–1967Royal Navy Fleet Air ArmDouglas Skyraider AEW.IHazell, 2004, pp.32–351951–1962Royal Navy Fleet Air ArmFairey Gannet AEW.3Hazell, 2004, pp.32–36, 411959–1978United States NavyGrumman AF-2W GuardianKowalski, 1991, pp.1, 5, 13, 721950–1957United States NavyGrumman TBM-3W Avenger1945–1950French AéronavaleGrumman TBM-3W Avenger1952–1960Japan Maritime Self-Defense ForceGrumman TBM-3W Avenger1954–1961Netherlands Marine Luchtvaart DienstGrumman TBM-3W Avenger1954–1960 Royal Canadian NavyGrumman Avenger Mk.3W2Griffin, 1969, p.131952–1959Royal Navy Fleet Air ArmGrumman Avenger AEW1951–1955United States NavyGrumman E-1 TracerSullivan, 1990, p.481961–1977United States Air ForceLockheed EC-121 Warning StarWinchester, 2001, pp.101 & 1041954–1978United States NavyLockheed WV-1/WV-2 Warning StarWinchester, 2001, pp.97–101 & 1061954–1971Soviet Air Forces Tupolev Tu-126Gordon, 2010, pp.5–171965–1984Royal Air ForceVickers WellingtonAir-Britain, Aviation World, 2004Hodges, R "Air controlled interception" Radar Development to 1945 R W Burns (ed)1944–1945+Royal Air ForceForce Report: Royal Air Force at Ninety, Air Forces Monthly magazine, April 2008 issue, p. 44.Boeing Sentry AEW.11991-2021Republic of Singapore Air ForceGrumman E-2C Hawkeye1987-2012
See also List of airborne early warning aircraft
Notes
Footnotes
Citations
References
Eyes in the Skies – All the World's AWACS, Air Forces Monthly magazine, August 2008 issue.