The E-3 Sentry is an airborne warning and control system, or AWACS, aircraft with an integrated command and control battle management, or C2BM, surveillance, target detection, and tracking platform. The aircraft provides an accurate, real-time picture of the battlespace to the Joint Air Operations Center. AWACS provides situational awareness of friendly, neutral and hostile activity, command and control of an area of responsibility, battle management of theater forces, all-altitude and all-weath

The Mission of the AWACS

With its huge radar dome executing a full rotation every 10 seconds, an E-3A aircraft flying at an altitude of 9,150 m can monitor an area of more than 312,000 sq km. Three E-3As with overlapping orbits can cover the entire area of Central Europe. An E-3A can detect low-flying targets within 400 km or 215 nautical miles, and medium-altitude targets within 520 km or 280 nautical miles. | NATO Allied Air Command

Inside the U.S. Air Force's E-3G Sentry