List of AEW&C aircraft operators

A US Navy E-2C Hawkeye over NAS Point Mugu.

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. ^[1]

Current AEW&C operators

US Air Force Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS.

Mexican Air Force Embraer EMB-145.

Indian Air Force Beriev A-50 EL/W-2090 AEW&C

Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C built for the Pakistan Air Force.

Boeing E-767 of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force.

Operator	Aircraft	Unit(s)	Total	Country
Royal Australian Air Force [2] [3]	Boeing E-7 Wedgetail	No. 2 Squadron RAAF	6	Australia
Brazilian Air Force [2]	Embraer R-99A	6th Aviation Group	5	Brazil
Chilean Air Force [2]	Boeing E-3D Sentry	10th Aviation Group	2 [nb 1]	Chile
People's Liberation Army Air Force [2]	KJ-2000 [4]	26th Air Division	5	China
People's Liberation Army Air Force	KJ-200	?	13+ [5]	China (PRC)
People's Liberation Army Air Force/ People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force	KJ-500	26th Air Division	15+ [5]	China (PRC)
People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force	Kamov Ka-31 Helix B	Unknown (Carrier Division)	Unknown	China (PRC)
People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force	Changhe Z-8 AEW	Unknown (Carrier Division)	Unknown	China (PRC)
People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force	Changhe Z-18J	Unknown (Carrier Division)	Unknown	China (PRC)
Republic of China Air Force [2]	Grumman E-2T/K Hawkeye	2nd EW Squadron	6	China (ROC/“Taiwan”)
Egyptian Air Force [2]	Grumman E-2C Hawkeye	87th Squadron	8	Egypt
French Air Force [2]	Boeing E-3F Sentry	00.036 Squadron	4	France
French Navy [2]	Grumman E-2C Hawkeye	4th Flotilla	3 or 4	France
Hellenic Air Force [2] [6]	Embraer EMB-145H	380th Squadron	4	Greece
Indian Air Force [2]	Beriev A-50EI	No. 50 Squadron	3 [nb 2]	India
Indian Air Force [2]	DRDO AEW&CS [9] [nb 3]	?	3	India
Indian Navy	Kamov Ka-31 Helix B	INAS 339	14	India
Israeli Air Force	Gulfstream G550 CAEW	122nd Squadron	7 [10]	Israel
Italian Air Force	Gulfstream G550 CAEW	14° Stormo	2 [11]	Italy
Japan Air Self-Defense Force [2] [12]	Boeing E-767	AEW Group	4 [nb 4]	Japan
Japan Air Self-Defense Force [2] [12]	Grumman E-2C Hawkeye	AEW Group	13	Japan
Korean People's Air Force [13]	Antonov An-24	Unknown	1	North Korea
Republic of Korea Air Force	Boeing E-7 Wedgetail	5th Tactical Airlift Wing	4	Korea
Mexican Air Force [2]	Embraer 145AEW&C	501st Squadron	1	Mexico
NATO [2]	Boeing E-3A Sentry	NATO AEW&C FC	14	Several
Pakistan Air Force [2] [14] [15] [16]	Saab 2000 Erieye	No. 13 Squadron	5	Pakistan
Pakistan Air Force [2] [14] [15] [17]	Shaanxi ZDK-03 K. Eagle	No. 4 Squadron	4	Pakistan
Russian Air Force [2] [18]	Beriev A-50 [19]	2457th AB SDRLO [nb 5]	9	Russia
Royal Saudi Air Force [2]	Boeing E-3A Sentry	18th Squadron	5	Saudi Arabia
Royal Saudi Air Force [20] [21]	Saab 2000 Erieye	18th Squadron	?	Saudi Arabia
Republic of Singapore Air Force [2]	Gulfstream G550	111th Squadron	4 [nb 6]	Singapore
Swedish Air Force [2] [23] [ unreliable source? ]	Saab S100B	17 Wing	6	Sweden
Royal Thai Air Force	Saab S100B	702nd Squadron	2	Thailand
United States Air Force [2]	Boeing E-3B/C Sentry	3rd ,18th & 552nd Wings	32	United States
United States Navy [2]	Grumman E-2C-I/II Hawkeye	10+ squadrons	55	United States
Turkish Air Force [24]	Boeing E-7 Wedgetail	131st squadron	4	Turkey
Polish Air Force	Saab 340 AEW&C	43 Naval Aviation Base	2	Poland
United Arab Emirates Air Force [25] [26]	GlobalEye	?	2	United Arab Emirates

A Changhe Z-18J AEW platform taking off from Liaoning flight deck

Future operators

Operator	Aircraft	First flight	Total
Indian Air Force	Airbus A320 AEW&C [27]	TBD	6
Indonesian Air Force	Boeing E-7 Wedgetail	TBD	TBD
Italian Air Force [ citation needed ]	IAI Eitam	2015	2
NATO [28]	Boeing E-7 Wedgetail	2031	6
Russian Air Force [29]	Beriev A-100	2017	?
Royal Air Force [30]	Boeing E-7 Wedgetail	?	3
Ukrainian Air Force [31]	Saab 340 AEW&C	?	2
United States Air Force [32]	Boeing E-7 Wedgetail	2027	26 by 2032

Canada plans to acquire AWACS capability by 2045.^{[ citation needed ]}

Historical AEW operators

RCN Grumman Avenger Mk.3W2 on board HMCS Magnificent

Tupolev Tu-126

Operator	Aircraft	Period	Total
Soviet Air Forces	Antonov An-71 [33]	1985–1991	3
Royal Air Force	Avro Shackleton AEW.2 [34] [35]	1972–1991	12
United States Navy	Boeing PB-1W Flying Fortress	1946–1955	22
Royal Air Force	British Aerospace Nimrod AEW3 [36]	1982–1986	11
United States Navy & Marine Corps	Douglas A-1W Skyraider	1948–1967	417
Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm	Douglas Skyraider AEW.I [37]	1951–1962	50
Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm	Fairey Gannet AEW.3 [38]	1959–1978	44
United States Navy	Grumman AF-2W Guardian [39]	1950–1957	154
United States Navy	Grumman TBM-3W Avenger [40]	1945–1950	40
French Aéronavale	Grumman TBM-3W Avenger	1952–1960	40
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	Grumman TBM-3W Avenger	1954–1961	?
Netherlands Marine Luchtvaart Dienst	Grumman TBM-3W Avenger	1954–1960	24
Royal Canadian Navy	Grumman Avenger Mk.3W2 [41]	1952–1959	8
Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm	Grumman Avenger AEW	1951–1955	?
United States Navy	Grumman E-1 Tracer [42]	1961–1977	88
United States Air Force	Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star [43]	1954–1978	82
United States Navy	Lockheed WV-1/WV-2 Warning Star [44]	1954–1971	145
Soviet Air Forces	Tupolev Tu-126 [45]	1965–1984	9
Royal Air Force	Vickers Wellington [46] [47]	1944–1945	2+
Royal Air Force [2] [48]	Boeing Sentry AEW.1	1991-2021	7

See also

• List of airborne early warning aircraft

Notes

Footnotes

1. Phalcon radar used.
2. EL/W-2090 radar, 2 of 3 delivered. ^{[7] [8]}
3. 1st test aircraft delivered 2012
4. One more aircraft on order. ^[12]
5. Air Base of Long Range Radiolocation Detection Aircraft. ^[18]
6. To be replaced by 4 Gulfstream G550. ^[22]

Citations

1. John Pike (1957-03-01). "Airborne Early Warning". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
2. Air Forces Intelligence, Air Forces Monthly magazine, August 2008 issue, p. 91.
3. Blenkin, Max (13 July 2009). "Wedgetail on track for November delivery". WAtoday. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
4. Gordon, 2010, p.51
5. "空警500大量出厂？至少还需20架才能够满足防空需求！_搜狐军事_搜狐网". www.sohu.com. Archived from the original on 2018-01-25.
6. "Embraer EMB-145H AEW&C". Hellenic Air Force official website. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
7. "Indian air force gets Awacs plane". BBC News. 28 May 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
8. "LIVEFIST: PHOTOS: The Second Phalcon AWACS (KW-3552) Before Its Flight To India!". Livefist.blogspot.com. 2010-03-31. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
9. Gordon, 2010, pp.51–52
10. "The Military Balance 2010". Page 256. International Institute for Strategic Studies, February 3, 2010.
11. Italy receives first of two G550 CAEW aircraft from Israel IHS Jane's 360
12. "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology , 15 January 2007.
13. Bermudez, J. (April 2011). "MiG-29 in KPAF Service". The KPA Journal. 2 (4): 2.
14. Francis, Leithen. "Pakistan to get Chinese AEW&C aircraft this year". Flight International. flightglobal.com. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
15. "Pakistan Surmounts Sanctions To Revive Airpower". Defense News. 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2010-05-09.^{[ dead link ‍]}
16. Warnes, Alan (July 2010). "On The Edge". Air Forces Monthly. No. July 2010. United Kingdom: Key Publishing. p. 59. Retrieved 9 July 2010. Pakistan's first Saab 2000 Erieye entered service on 29 December 2009. A second example followed in April with 2 more to follow by year's end.
17. "'Karakoram Eagle' inducted into PAF". DawnNews.com (archives). Dawn Media. 13 November 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
18. Force Report: Russian Air Force, Air Forces Monthly magazine, July 2007 issue, p. 82.
19. Gordon, 2010, pp.19–60
20. "Sweden initiates military cooperation with Saudi Arabia" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. 15 May 2015.
21. "Royal Saudi Air Force Saab 2000 Erieyes Now in Service". Tangent Link. 18 January 2015.
22. "Singapore to Replace Hawkeye With G550 AEW". Defense Update. 8 May 2007. Archived from the original on 2008-09-05. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
23. "S100B Argus Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft, Sweden". airforce-technology.com. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
24. "Boeing Delivers 1st Peace Eagle Aircraft to Turkish Armed Forces". Boeing.mediaroom.com. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
25. "Saab signs contract with United Arab Emirates for airborne surveillance system" (PDF). Feed.ne.cision.com. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
26. "UAE Buys Saab's Erieye AEW&C Aircraft". Defenseindustrydaily.com. 2011-03-16. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
27. "DRDO Cleared To Convert 6 Air India A320s Into IAF AEW Jets". 17 December 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
28. "NATO strengthens situational awareness with next generation of command and control aircraft".
29. Butowski, Piotr. "Model Reveals A-100 Configuration". Air International , April 2014. Retrieved: 21 July 2014.
30. Allison, George (22 March 2021). "UK cutting E-7 Wedgetail order". UK Defence Journal.
31. "Military Package 16 to Ukraine". government.se. 29 May 2024.
32. Losey, Stephen (24 March 2023). "'The ability to stare': Why the US Air Force is eager to get the E-7". Defence News.
33. Gordon, 2010, pp.61–80
34. Hazell, 2004, pp.41
35. Jones, 2002, pp.135–160
36. Gunston, 2009, pp.117–129
37. Hazell, 2004, pp.32–35
38. Hazell, 2004, pp.32–36, 41
39. Kowalski, 1991, pp.1, 5, 13, 72
40. "Eastern TBM-3W Avenger". Historyofwar.org. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
41. Griffin, 1969, p.13
42. Sullivan, 1990, p.48
43. Winchester, 2001, pp.101 & 104
44. Winchester, 2001, pp.97–101 & 106
45. Gordon, 2010, pp.5–17
46. Air-Britain, Aviation World, 2004
47. Hodges, R "Air controlled interception" Radar Development to 1945 R W Burns (ed)
48. Force Report: Royal Air Force at Ninety, Air Forces Monthly magazine, April 2008 issue, p. 44.

References

• Gibson, Chris (2011). The Admiralty and AEW: Royal Navy Airborne Early Warning Projects. Blue Envoy Press. ISBN   978-0956195128.
• Gordon, Yefim; Komissarov, Dmitriy (2010). Soviet/Russian AWACS Aircraft: Tu-126, A-50, An-71, Ka-31. Red Star Vol. 23. Hinckley, England: Midland Publishing. ISBN   978-1857802153.
• Hunter, Miranda; Davison, Peter (2006). Tupolev Tu-95 Bear. Warbird Tech. Vol. 43. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press. ISBN   978-1-58007-102-4.
• Gunston, Bill (2009). Nimrod the Centenarian Aircraft. Gloucestershire, Great Britain: Spellmount. ISBN   978-0752452708.
• Hazell, Steve (2004). Fairey Gannet. Warpaint Series No.23. Buckinghamshire, UK: Hall Park Books. ISSN   1363-0369.
• Jones, Barry (2002). Avro Shackleton. Crowood Aviation Series. Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press. ISBN   1861264496.
• Kowalski, Robert J. (1991). Grumman AF Guardian. Naval Fighters Number 20. Simi Valley, CA: Steve Ginter Publishing. ISBN   0942612205.
• Lake, Jon (February 2009). "Aircraft of the RAF – Part 10 Sentry AEW.1". Air International . Vol. 76, no. 2. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing. pp. 44–47.
• Lloyd, Alwyn T. (1987). Boeing 707 and AWACS in detail and scale – D&S Vol. 23. Shrewsbury, UK: Aero Publishers. ISBN   978-0830685332.
• Sullivan, Jim (1990). S2F Tracker in Action. Aircraft in Action No. 100. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications. ISBN   978-0897472425.
• Winchester, Jim (2001). Lockheed Constellation . Classic Airliners. St Paul, MN: MBI Publishing. ISBN   0760311986.
• Eyes in the Skies – All the World's AWACS, Air Forces Monthly magazine, August 2008 issue.