RAF E-3D Sentry Royal Air Force's E-3D Sentry airborne control and command aircraft has joined the formidable array of coalition airc...
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| RAF E-3D Sentry |
The E3D Sentry belonging to 8 Squadron at RAF Waddington arrived at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on Tuesday 27th January and the Lincolnshire based aircraft will join other aircraft from 903 Expeditionary Air Wing operating in the area.
As well as providing an airborne command and control capability, the Sentry offers a valuable ability to direct and coordinate the huge coalition air effort and will remain in Cyprus for the next few months.
Aside from its operations over Iraq and Syria, it is also filling an important role with the Baltic Air Patrols countering intrusive Russian over-flights in the region.
Easily distinguished by the large circular radar antenna dish mounted on two vertical struts extending from the top of the fuselage, the seven E3D Sentry operated by the RAF were introduced in 1990.
The E3D is based on the Boeing 707-320B aircraft, which has been extensively modified and updated to accommodate the various mission systems and its endurance is approximately 11 hours although this can be extended by air-to-air refuelling.
