U.K. Background
Selection of E-3 AWACS for the United Kingdom's airborne early warning (AEW) mission requirement emerged from a 1986 competition conducted by the country's Ministry of Defence (MOD). The E-3 and the British-built AEW Nimrod were selected for final consideration from a field of seven candidates.

The competition ended in December 1986, when the MOD decided to purchase directly from Boeing a minimum of six AWACS, along with spares, system trainers and support equipment. In 1987, the MOD exercised a contract option for one additional aircraft, increasing the fleet to seven.

The U.K. E-3s were produced in the AWACS standard configuration, with some system improvements, and are powered by GE/SNECMA CFM-56-2 high-efficiency, turbofan engines. Enhancements added to meet the United Kingdomís unique mission requirements include enhanced maritime radar capability, a probe refueling system to augment the existing boom receptacle for inflight refueling, a digital recorder for mission audio transmissions, improved radio equipment and United Kingdom-provided Electronic Support Measures (ESM) for passive listening and detection capability.

Additionally, the United Kingdom has joined the United States in initiating a plan to further upgrade their radar under a program known as Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP). In February 1996 the USAF issued a contract to Boeing on behalf of the United Kingdom to upgrade the fleet with enhanced radar capability, which will improve AWACS ability to detect smaller, stealthy targets. The first kit will be delivered to the United Kingdom in mid-1998, followed by installation on the aircraft between 1998 and 2001. Since delivery, the United Kingdom has maintained post-design services contracts with Boeing to ensure timely fleet support. The United Kingdom continues to review potential enhancements to their fleet to maintain interoperability with other AWACS fleets in the United States, NATO, France and Saudi Arabia.
 

AWACS History
The first E-3 entered U.S. Air Force service in March 1977, preceded by more than 10 years of competitive flyoffs, prototype design and development. By 1981, 24 of the 34 AWACS on order had been delivered to the U.S. inventory and were designated "core" aircraft. The remaining U.S. aircraft, as well as 18 NATO E-3s, were delivered in the "standard" configuration. Enhancements leading to the standard configuration include the maritime surveillance radar mode and the JTIDS (Joint Tactical Information Distribution System). Additionally, the AWACS computer was enhanced to increase its capacity and speed.

The last of the 34 U.S. AWACS was delivered in June 1984. (One aircraft was lost in September 1995, reducing the U.S. fleet to 33 and the worldwide fleet to 67.) Since the introduction of the E-3, both the United States and international AWACS operators have pursued system enhancements to improve performance and respond to emerging threats and requirements.

The E-3 played a major role in the 1990-91 Persian Gulf conflict, conducting surveillance and command-and-control activities for coalition forces. AWACS aircraft from the air forces of the United States, Saudi Arabia and NATO were involved in the action, and the multi-national fleet was credited with coordinating most of the 120,000 sorties flown by coalition aircraft.

AWACS' role in the Gulf climaxed a series of assignments that included deployment to Saudi Arabia during the Iran-Iraq war, dispatch to Korea following the assassination of President Park and deployment to Egypt in response to the Libyan bombing of the Sudan. AWACS also has played an important interdiction role in America's war on drugs.
 

Industrial Cooperation
Boeing headed an international team of U.S., German and Canadian firms in the development and production of 18 NATO E-3 systems. Industrial involvement also is a key element of the AWACS purchases by the United Kingdom.

A major element of direct support was U.K. installation and checkout (I&CO) of the E-3 mission equipment. Boeing delivered the aircraft empty to the United Kingdomís selected I&CO contractor, which installed the mission equipment and supported the aircraft through final delivery.

In the United Kingdom, an industry team led by British Aerospace did the I&CO work at RAF Waddington, home base for the U.K. AEW fleet.

While U.K. industries were active participants in AWACS production, such activity represented only a small part of the considerable offset program that accompanied each purchase.

In 1987, Boeing established a European-based organization, Boeing Operations International (BOI), to administer the AWACS offset program. BOI's role was to coordinate the efforts made by Boeing's major divisions and AWACS subcontractors to provide competitive opportunities under the offset plan, and was a point of contact for potential U.K. suppliers.

Along with the benefit of near-term opportunities to U.K. industry, the long-range objective of the AWACS offset program was to forge new and mutually beneficial associations with European industry in various areas of high technology.

Characteristics
The E-3 system is carried on board a militarized version of the Boeing 707-320B commercial jetliner airframe. It is distinguished by the addition of a large, rotating rotodome that houses its radar antenna and identification friend-or-foe (IFF) and data-link fighter-control (TADIL-C) antennas.

The E-3 offers superior surveillance capabilities. AWACS radar can separate airborne targets from the ground clutter returns that limit other present-day radars. Its radar "eye" has a 360-degree view of the horizon, and at operating altitudes can observe targets more than 320 kilometers (200 miles) away. It also can detect and track both air and sea targets simultaneously.

Its avionics equipment includes surveillance radar, navigation, communications, data processing, identification and displays. The heart of the information processing network is an advanced airborne version of the IBM command and control multiprocessing computer.

The aircraft were produced on Boeing's Renton, Wash., military 707 assembly line, which closed in May 1991.

U.K., French and Saudi E-3 Specifications