Awacs KeflavikThis picture of this E-3a Awacs plane was taken at the Naval Air station at Keflavik Iceland.
Dimensions: Aircraft
Wingspan: 44.45 m / 145 ft 9 in
Length: 46.68 m / 152 ft 11 in
Height: 12.70 m / 41 ft 9 in
Rotodome
Diameter: 9.1 m / 30 ft
Thickness: 1.8 m / 6 ft
Height: 3.35 m / 11 ft
Rotation: once every 10 seconds
Radar coverage: One E-3A flying at 30,000 ft / 9,150 m has over 312,000 kmē in its field of view.
Three E-3As in overlapping orbits can provide complete coverage of Central Europe.
An E-3A can detect low flying targets within 400 km or 215 nautical miles;
and at medium altitude targets within 520 km or 280 nautical miles.
Primary function: Airborne surveillance, command, control and communications.
Power plant: Four TF-33 Pratt & Whitney 100A turbofan engines.
Speed: More than 800 km / 500 miles per hour
Operational altitude: Above 9,150 m / 30,000 ft
Maximum take-off weight: 147,429 kg / 325,000 lbs
Fuel capacity: 89,610 liters / 70,371 kg
22,768 gallons / 148,000 lbs
Endurance: More than 10 hours (unrefueled). All air-refuelable.
Armament: None.
Aircrew: Flight crew
2 pilots
1 navigator
1 flight engineer
Mission crew
1 tactical director
1 fighter allocator
2 weapons controllers
2 surveillance control officers
3 surveillance operators
1 communications operators
1 communications technician
1 radar technician
1 computer display technician.
(Total number can vary for a specific mission.)
Prime contractor: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, Washington, United States.
Picture added on 28 November 2005
