And to think, the US and French navies can deploy a mini e3 with their E2 Hawkeyes, giving ridiculous radar coverage/dominance at sea. This is why carrier catapults are so important, *glares at Royal Navy*
@KISHANTH JEYAMOORTHY carrier borne tanker would be the MQ-25 Stingray. As for the RN I thought that they would make it comparable to US and French carriers with nuclear power and catapults, and using a naval variant of the Eurofighter Typhoon. For a more than 60,000 tonne carrier its kinda disappointing in that if that's what they're going with, they should have had four smaller carriers instead of the two large ones.
@KISHANTH JEYAMOORTHY 1: The HMS Queen Elizabeth is not a small carrier, but a fleet carrier. It could have had catapults, but they were cut for budget reasons. Greatly handicapping the class's potential. 2: The US Navy is in the process of fielding a fueling/tanker drone made by Boeing. It will be both the first dedicated carrier launched tanker, and autonomous carrier aircraft the USN will use.
LT. G/X-02 Wyvern 4 smaller carriers would not bring the same capability as 2 big ones, it’s been discussed countless times. The French has the same budget issue, they have one smaller carrier with catapults, the RN have 2 larger carriers without catapults.
@@TT-hd3zi Here's the thing that the Queen Elizabeth class for them being fleet carriers they are just oversized light carriers in that they can only accommodate vtol/stol jets such as the F35B that while a good aircraft is limited in performance and weapons capacity with it being a stol/vtol aircraft compared to conventional aircraft such as the Super Hornet and Rafale. And yes it's stealth and has way more advanced systems though here's the thing it won't last in dogfights compared to them and they will happen which is why the Navy are keeping their Super Hornets until the F/A-XX fighter comes into play. And while yes it does have AEW with its helicopters their capabilities are not as good as fixed-wing like the E-2. While the carriers were made for Royal Navy needs, compare to other carriers its rather lacklaster. Edit: I remember reading of how once the budget is sorted, the Royal Navy, plans on putting catapults on the Queen Elizabeth carriers so there's that.
I got to fly on an E-3 during a training mission while I was stationed at Nellis AFB back in the eighties. We flew in a large circle about three hundred miles from the range north of Las Vegas. It was amazing watching all of the action on the range while tracking dozens of aircraft. The capabilities of the E-3 are very impressive.
I just used to call it a dish plane, and I still do to bring the memories back. We just had one here in Abbotsford BC on display, and oh my, her engines just scream.
Original crewmembers called the Rotodome the "Skunk Flavored M&M." It was about 6" tall inside & 30' across. It produced about 30-40% of the total aerodynamic Lift. The airframe was refurbished in Seattle then ferried cross-country to have the dome added. This flight required a 5,000lb concrete block fitted to the struts to keep them from flailing inflight & ripping them off. My longest flight was almost 20 hours with four refuelings inflight. I flew the E-3a & the ones shown here have gone through many modifications since I flew them.
So, a british youtuber in canada made a video about an american aircraft, registered in Luxembourg (emblem at 2:00) that made a training run in germany. What are the odds that this could have been the one shown in the video. :D
@@mandernachluca3774 Given that ALL 17 jointly owned NATO aircraft are flying under Luxemburg colors and are stationed in Aachen, Germany, the odds arent that great, really ... 1:17, basically.
Every single non-portable-console Ace Combat game (except 3, being in the future) contains more E-767s than were ever built, so there isn't a specific game the flying Hostess cake takes me back to.
Got 50hrs on it. More to come. It's fantastic and the feeling when you sit in the Cockpit during AAR is something I can't describe 😅. Also funny to see some familiar faces in the video ;)
Remember one of these flew overhead when my family was on the way to visit my grandparents in Berkshire in the late ''80s. Was only about 5 at the time but it left an impression
About 2-3 years ago I went on a holiday and it just so happens that I look out the window and see one of these coming above the plane I was in, I'd say it was no further than 1km away. Coolest thing I've ever seen
Ahh thats a blast from the past, F22 Lightning II, I spent hours and hours on that game! Several missions include defending your own E3 and going after the enemy A50 Mainstay. Those missions were hard! The friendly E3 would just fly headlong into an armada of fighters! And expects you to keep him safe. Good bit of nostalgia!
I spent the first 10 years of my career supporting the E-3, first with the 552nd at Tinker then with the NATO E-3A Component at Geilenkirchen. Great people and experiences with both. E-3 and E-8 info gets mushed together a bit in the narration. The E-3s were new airframes when acquired. The E-8s were based on used 707 airframes, which probably gave their configuration management nightmares. One of the guys in the JSTARS program office told me they bought the very last brand new 707 built by Boeing - and traded it for 5 used 707s. That NATO paint job is sharp.
I arrived at Tinker AFB soon after my 360 hours of Tech School Training. I was an airman 1st class. I was assigned to the 552 AWACS OMS in 1977. We had 3 E-3A's at the time. Frank Hayburn was out Boeing contact. My 1st year I was put on many of the aircraft that needed many types of work be it inspecting training, refueling. My 2nd year I was assigned as a crew chief helper. Doing inspections, aircraft forms. servicing fuel, hydraulic fluid, LOX, tires, struts anything to make that aircraft FMC and ready to go.. We were heavy in the suggestion program. Suggesting better methods to the engineers of how things could be done better. You saw the engine intake covers in the video. I designed and we tested a set. The original EIC's were near 1/4 in thick and as big as a child swimming pool. They were heavy and bulky. When deployed with the aircraft they took alot of room either in the read lower lobe or in the cabin. My design made them fordable to a 14" by 14" square each, Stack able. It took 3 years but through the AF Suggestion program it passed Oh The one intake cover that the aircraft came with had a $2500 price tag. Mine cost $50 to make AND what inspired me was during a trip to Iceland while facing horizontal winds I saw a security guard get hit by a cover and was sent to the hospital with a concussion. My cover if his anyone would wrap around diffusing the energy around them. I was an assistant crew chief and having 6 months left in my 1st enlistment I was a crew chief meeting the the standards of full professional care and control of the aircraft while on the ground. I am proud to be an original part of the AWACS program
A fun aircraft to work on. I was a flightline controller and then a controller in maintenance control. Went to NATO-OTAN and crewed nato 1 (442) for three years, 1982-1985. To be honest, that was a blast!
Used to pass by Tinker AFB all the time and would watch these bad boys. I live in Tulsa now and live on the flight path for Tulsa International Airport which is also crossed as an air force base so there always a lot of different planes coming in. An E-3 flew over the other day and is the absolute LOUDEST I’ve ever heard apart from the fighters absolutely loved it
Cool reference in the beginning to F22 Lightning II game. I played that as a kid and it’s what inspired me to become a pilot. I’m an airline pilot today because of my early gaming
This is an amazing airplane for what it was intended to be used for. The Boeing 707, has had many retro-fits, and this, puts it at the forefront of detecting enemy warfare, with the large rotating disk above the rear of the fuselage. With the capability of aerial refueling, it can stay in the air indefinitely at the Air Force General's disposal to mainly use it for the sole purpose.
The good ole AWACS days...True story..My father was an MP and I spent a good portion of my childhood in Okinawa Japan on Kadena Air Force Base. (Kadena was 1 of 5 Awacs bases in the world at the time) The school used to always take us on field trips to see the AWACS plane. I thought it was so cool. Fast forward 10 years, I turned 17 and my parents signed for me to join the Air Force and I became the youngest AWACS radar tech. I was actually the youngest person in the entire US military for 6months after I joined.
The AWACS can also detect ground vehicle traffic and watercraft. It isn't necessary that the target has a radar system, but, of course, that makes the target just that much easier to acquire. This is the best example of what is called look-down radar.
Mind seeing one of these beauties twice. Once, at the RAF Leuchars airshow in the early ninties. And again, at former RAF Kinloss back in '03. Got to see the latter AWACS up closer, thanks to the generosity of the In Flight staff. Very impressive aircraft.
I never realized just how amazing this aircraft is. I work with it a lot in DCS, and have gained a whole new level of respect for this aircraft. Thank you for this video.
Thank you for this video. I served in OKC, 1979 - 1985 in Division scheduling then weapons controller in the 964th Sqd. In Okinawa 1985 - 87 as weapons controller with the 961 and Disaster Prep Officer. I often tell folks by the time they hear of action on the news AWACS is already on station. Thanks again.
Howdy Barry. I arrived at Tinker in Jan 83, and served in the 963rd, 965th, 966th, 960th and 961st at Tinker, Keflavik, and Kadena until Jul 94. Videos like these are nostalgic for me.
My first exposure to this baby was actually from a 1996 radio drama - Independence Day UK. And yes, it was a tie in to the film Independence Day, told from a British perspective. Half the action was told aboard an E-3 that was hosting a live radio show during the alien invasion, and while the Sentry wasn't used to anything like its full capacity, it certainly got me interested! Well, that and the part where Sir Patrick Moore had a fistfight with an extraterrestrial. That was fun, too.
Anything with the "OK" on the tail, I have probably worked on them. Although one thing you won't see on an AWACS tail is the blue stripe. That was the first flight I was a part of, but it was absorbed by the red and white flights. Also, you wanna talk about old. I was a comm/nav specialist for the 552nd and there was one time I was looking for a break in a wire on one of the aircraft. I find the break, open up the panel, go to work on the wire, and it as well as the wires surrounding it crumbled in my hand. The only reason they were still intact was because no one had probably touched them in decades. There was even a time I fixed a R/T (receiver/transmitter) by simply hitting it with a rubber mallet because it wouldn't tune and I was getting mad at it. You could actually hear the radios whirl while tuning into the selected frequency. Old tech is still the best option sometimes.
Hi , im on Op. Rescript, for this covid19, im currently doing armed sentry patrol duty for the new P8 Poseidons that are temporarily staying at RAF Kinloss barracks, so the runway at RAF Lossiemouth is being retarmaced, and do a documentary on the p8 poseidons with their sonar buoys that plop out the rear end, and has anti submarine ordinances just like its predecessor the NIMROD, anyway keep them docs streamming in! Thanks Ex GDSM, now an LAC Mark C Pirie
I'm pretty sure an E-3 flew near my house today. Palmdale CA. Nothing particularly special, we get all the cool craft here, like the U-2, B-2, F-22s, and NASA test craft.
Local dialect pronunciation: Hanscom AFB (place or origin of the B25 that hit the Empire State Building) is located just off MA Route 128 and in the heart of the technology center of New England. The field is not called “Hans Com,” rather the Yankee dialect turns it into “Hanscome.” Bedford is near major Raytheon, BAE, iRobot, Ely facilities and MIT Lincoln Labs. It is a short flight from Portsmouth, NH Pease AFNG refueling base. Airspace includes Logan International and much small Manchester-Boston. Thus lots of traffic (well before Covid) to track in the Nashua (NH) ATC Area (Boston Center). Good analysis
I flew "back-end crew"on USAF AWACS "A" models in the mid 1980s and also on RC-135. A beautiful site is a KC-135 aerial refueling an AWACS or an RC-135. All three are Boeing airframe "sisters." All three have been incredible High-Value Asset "Force Multipliers" for several decades.
can you look at the RAAF E-7A Wedgetail which is the Aussie version of this aircraft and compare it to what the replacement for the E3 is likely to be?
What makes me happy is the fact that F-35 pilots have said that by themselves they are a mini AWACS, plus they are stealthy! As someone that served in the US army for 12 years I know how important AWACS aircraft are and it is just crazy how powerful and advanced the sensors on they F-35 are. Once you get a 2 or 4 F-35's in the air it's game over for the enemy. Also if for some reason their aren't many F-35's around all you need is one to escort some F-15, F-16 or F-18's and the F-35 will act as the AWACS and guide their missiles to the targets!
@@jcak552 actually it's still extremely difficult for an enemy fighter or ground radar to track the F-35 because the F-35's AESA radar is very stealth and difficult to track. Plus the F-35 doesn't need to turn on it's radar to see and kill the enemy because it's passive sensors are so good.
MississippiRebel Lol No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.... I hope you are correct.. however, with the number and frequency of leaks from the military industrial complex in recent years, I do not share your confidence level...
fun fact u can use the broadband antenna on top to provide broadband Internet for a region in case of an catastrophe cause u can tune in the tranciver for the frequency of mobile Internet devices 4.3 ghz
The early version of this aircraft is responsible for the early release of many of us in the 276 field within a year of the initial testing date given in this video. The fading away of a system that went back to the early days of RADAR. Odd as it seems, even in '75/'76 there were Airmen who had never worked a manual site. In the movies, the interplay of the scope operator and the person behind the Plexiglas map plotting and intercept gone right or wrong is still iconic but now.....
I hit the like button as soon as I saw the front of those engines. Classic! I wonder though, why is it that the E-3 more or less the same engines whereas the KC-135 got the upgraded turbofan engines with the higher bypass ratios? Don’t get me wrong, I love the classic 707 engines more as a look.
Especially since you could pack half the lower deck with extra fuel containers. And maybe put some RAMs under the wings for self defense? Or even some anti ballistic missile weapons?
The big motivation to go to the all glass cockpit, no one makes the analog gauges anymore for the plane. The pilots have to be physically fit to fly this plane. No power boost to speak of. Just the tabs on the flying surfaces. I wounder how hard it would be to migrate the system to the Boeing 777 or 787? Considering the design for the 707 is older than I am it is an incredible plane. The B52 is about the only thing older then the 707 in active service.
@@jcak552 Yes it flies like any other plane 6 plus years old. All manual controls except the rudder I believe. The alternative aircraft I mentioned are fly by wire and may take some modification. The 707 air frame is dated and takes more maintenance than modern aircraft. I was referring to systems. I am not a pilot. I do have a close friend that has been a pilot on the E3 it was a bear refueling inflight as a result of the manual controls. C5 and C17 have T tails and are harder to control when refueling from the KC10 extender.
John Rodrigues That 3000psi hydraulic system negates all you are talking about as far as controlling the surfaces... as far difficult to A/R.. depends on the skill of the pilot... Boeing has already made and sold the E-7, a 737-700 with a canoe on top rather than the Dome... as far as maintenance time, that comes with age.... hummm the Oldest B-52 H was built in the 60s... the oldest KC-135 is 57-1419... but 135s are not 707 airframes...
Everyone wants to be a fighter pilot, But the real power is in AWACS, Mid-air refueling, and bombers as Fighters are quite helpless when they are on the ground.
I’m an Air Force Security Forces member stationed at Tinker AFB. This information makes these unassuming planes sound much more interesting, lol. Great video as usual man!👍 PS These things are NOT fun to fly on. They feel every bit of 4+ decades old.
Who told you that?😂 they may be old but they don’t “feel” old when flying in one. They look old on the inside that’s for sure. But it’s not a rough ride by any means. Just a touch louder than what you would be used to on a commercial airliner.
James Blanton I’m speaking from experience. SF guys fly with the plane on fly-away missions to provide internal security wherever the plane goes. Sometimes we’ll be off the ground for less than 2 hours before there’s smoke in the cockpit, instrument clusters stop working, cabin air pressure is lost, and we need to make an emergency landing. Fun stuff! But you’re probably right I’m likely spoiled from flying commercial all my life and E3’s are quite different from that.
Such cool aircraft. I use to play this PS2 game called Heatseeker. Sometimes the bonus missions were to protect the E-3 Sentry AWACs. Or find and shoot down it's Russian counterpart.
This aircraft makes me emotional for some reason ever since I was a little kid I loved the USA (live in Germany) and every time I saw it fly I just look up and now it’s the same thing it’s really a reminder to me that some day I will more to the US
USA here. I had an opportunity to see several different parts of the world. The US has a lot going on, arguably more than any other country in the world. But I have to say that Germany is a beautiful country. I wish that the language hadn't been such a handicap for me. Enjoy it as much as you can.
Snaker Stran Germany is cool, but I feel like I don’t fit in because I’m the biggest gun nut. Also I just like American Culture in general and joining the 75th Ranger battalion seems like a dream Job to me and it’s just my childhood dream to go to the US. For some reason ever since I could draw all I did was draw American Planes, Tanks and Guns and like one of the first things I ever wrote was that I want to join the US Military😂
E3s days in the RAF are numbered it'll be replaced by the E7 in a few years time. As is I think only 4 of the RAFs E3s are in use as they scavenge the others to find parts that grow scarcer all the time given the aircrafts age.
I have a coworker who’s good friends with an AWACS pilot and was lucky enough to get a tour. Impressive but yeah it seems to be held together by duck tape haha. And I can confirm that yes they do snack a LOT when working. That crew’s personal favorites were chicken nuggets haha
Due to a lack of near-peer adversaries during its operational lifetime, I think we don't really appreciate how vulnerable they are, especially to HARM-style radar homing missiles.
The Rise Of Nations game (information age mode) is good for practicing real time combat strategies, it needs more units for more details of information age war
AWACS Long Caster: "Sorry but I'm gonna eat while I work. My judgement goes fuzzy when I'm too hungry"
SPARE 15!!! WHY ARENT YOU IN *SOLITARY?!*
SOLITARY!!
How can can you talk about food
The one thing they got right about the AWACS in that game. As soon as we are cleared the crew is making food in the back
Former AWACS aircrew member here (2003-2006)... thanks for showing our old gals some love!!! I miss flying so much!!!
Thank you for your service
And to think, the US and French navies can deploy a mini e3 with their E2 Hawkeyes, giving ridiculous radar coverage/dominance at sea.
This is why carrier catapults are so important, *glares at Royal Navy*
@KISHANTH JEYAMOORTHY carrier borne tanker would be the MQ-25 Stingray. As for the RN I thought that they would make it comparable to US and French carriers with nuclear power and catapults, and using a naval variant of the Eurofighter Typhoon. For a more than 60,000 tonne carrier its kinda disappointing in that if that's what they're going with, they should have had four smaller carriers instead of the two large ones.
@KISHANTH JEYAMOORTHY
1: The HMS Queen Elizabeth is not a small carrier, but a fleet carrier. It could have had catapults, but they were cut for budget reasons. Greatly handicapping the class's potential.
2: The US Navy is in the process of fielding a fueling/tanker drone made by Boeing. It will be both the first dedicated carrier launched tanker, and autonomous carrier aircraft the USN will use.
LT. G/X-02 Wyvern 4 smaller carriers would not bring the same capability as 2 big ones, it’s been discussed countless times. The French has the same budget issue, they have one smaller carrier with catapults, the RN have 2 larger carriers without catapults.
The Royal Navy still has helicopter based AEW.
@@TT-hd3zi Here's the thing that the Queen Elizabeth class for them being fleet carriers they are just oversized light carriers in that they can only accommodate vtol/stol jets such as the F35B that while a good aircraft is limited in performance and weapons capacity with it being a stol/vtol aircraft compared to conventional aircraft such as the Super Hornet and Rafale. And yes it's stealth and has way more advanced systems though here's the thing it won't last in dogfights compared to them and they will happen which is why the Navy are keeping their Super Hornets until the F/A-XX fighter comes into play. And while yes it does have AEW with its helicopters their capabilities are not as good as fixed-wing like the E-2. While the carriers were made for Royal Navy needs, compare to other carriers its rather lacklaster.
Edit: I remember reading of how once the budget is sorted, the Royal Navy, plans on putting catapults on the Queen Elizabeth carriers so there's that.
I got to fly on an E-3 during a training mission while I was stationed at Nellis AFB back in the eighties. We flew in a large circle about three hundred miles from the range north of Las Vegas. It was amazing watching all of the action on the range while tracking dozens of aircraft. The capabilities of the E-3 are very impressive.
One of the more interesting sides of the AWACS is how the radar was used to find scuds during the first gulf war.
Don’t you mean J-STARS?
@@theespatier4456 I don't think so the jstar was introduced in 1996
@@chrisspencer6502 The Star was in use during the gulf war It did locate the scud launchers as well as anything that was moving on the ground
Wasn't that rc-135 joint rivet who did that?
I think i saw their nose art... Joint rivet cartoon slap the missile...
Cmiiw plz
Yeah that's JSTARS forte though there was a proposal to merge the capabilities of AWACS and JSTARS into a single plane; it never got off the ground.
I’m gonna eat while I work, my judgement gets a little fuzzy if I’m too hungry. Trigger your call sign is Strider 1.
Love that game but it gets a little too frustrating sometimes.
@@AmericanIdiot7659 it is ace combat after all
"la la LAA, listen to our beautiful voice. This is AWACS Oka Nieba, that would mean Skyeye in your language"
Great game!
What AC game is that btw?
@@reihn8203 5
He technically flies an E-767 since Ace Combat is a Japanese series. Even I feel like he should be flying a Beriev A-50
When I was a kid I thought the E3 looked like an airliner being attacked by a flying saucer.
I always thought "How the heck does this plane fly with a gigantic plate rotating in its back?"
I just used to call it a dish plane, and I still do to bring the memories back. We just had one here in Abbotsford BC on display, and oh my, her engines just scream.
Me thinking it's a weirdest plane ever
Original crewmembers called the Rotodome the "Skunk Flavored M&M." It was about 6" tall inside & 30' across. It produced about 30-40% of the total aerodynamic Lift. The airframe was refurbished in Seattle then ferried cross-country to have the dome added. This flight required a 5,000lb concrete block fitted to the struts to keep them from flailing inflight & ripping them off.
My longest flight was almost 20 hours with four refuelings inflight. I flew the E-3a & the ones shown here have gone through many modifications since I flew them.
Personally one of my favorite and most interesting aircraft of all time. Want to work on one when I’m older.
I want to fly one
I work on the awacs
Just remember AWACS stands for a war against common sense
No you don’t
@@grunt616 yes I do. It’s an awesome aircraft
Damn what coincidence... I'm from Germany and guess which aircraft was doing training above us today... Simply amazing
I live in the U.K. near an RAF Base and I see these planes and other aircraft flying all the time.
So, a british youtuber in canada made a video about an american aircraft, registered in Luxembourg (emblem at 2:00) that made a training run in germany.
What are the odds that this could have been the one shown in the video. :D
@@mandernachluca3774 Given that ALL 17 jointly owned NATO aircraft are flying under Luxemburg colors and are stationed in Aachen, Germany, the odds arent that great, really ... 1:17, basically.
Unless they moved these birds since I crewed Nato one (442) they were in Geilenkirchen Germany. 1982-1985
I really enjoyed my time as an E-3 Flight Engineer. Had some interesting flights, with a few, scary instances.
Please expand on this..
This brings me so much nostalgia from ace combat 6...
AC 6 was sooooooooooooooo good.
Every single non-portable-console Ace Combat game (except 3, being in the future) contains more E-767s than were ever built, so there isn't a specific game the flying Hostess cake takes me back to.
Someone says a word:
Litterally no one:
AWACS Bandog
YOU SOLITARY NOW!
Got 50hrs on it. More to come. It's fantastic and the feeling when you sit in the Cockpit during AAR is something I can't describe 😅. Also funny to see some familiar faces in the video ;)
Seat 5 (the jump seat) during AR was kool for us old mission guys back in the day also. [salute] Fly well Have fun.
Another shining example of the versatility of the Boeing 707 airframe. The AWACS is an awesome aircraft with amazing capabilities.
Remember one of these flew overhead when my family was on the way to visit my grandparents in Berkshire in the late ''80s. Was only about 5 at the time but it left an impression
New series:
Sexiest Military Aircraft of the Year
Noooo its so ugly and usually U.S aircrafts look like a girl with damn big tits and nice booty. but thats not a pretty plane mate 🤣
@@tigerimschlamm2724 meh I agree to the other guy
B52 lol I like'm thicc.
@@ryanrobinson1578 yes
@@ryanrobinson1578 antonov-225:...
About 2-3 years ago I went on a holiday and it just so happens that I look out the window and see one of these coming above the plane I was in, I'd say it was no further than 1km away. Coolest thing I've ever seen
Ahh thats a blast from the past, F22 Lightning II, I spent hours and hours on that game! Several missions include defending your own E3 and going after the enemy A50 Mainstay.
Those missions were hard! The friendly E3 would just fly headlong into an armada of fighters! And expects you to keep him safe. Good bit of nostalgia!
I spent the first 10 years of my career supporting the E-3, first with the 552nd at Tinker then with the NATO E-3A Component at Geilenkirchen. Great people and experiences with both.
E-3 and E-8 info gets mushed together a bit in the narration. The E-3s were new airframes when acquired. The E-8s were based on used 707 airframes, which probably gave their configuration management nightmares. One of the guys in the JSTARS program office told me they bought the very last brand new 707 built by Boeing - and traded it for 5 used 707s.
That NATO paint job is sharp.
I arrived at Tinker AFB soon after my 360 hours of Tech School Training. I was an airman 1st class. I was assigned to the 552 AWACS OMS in 1977. We had 3 E-3A's at the time. Frank Hayburn was out Boeing contact. My 1st year I was put on many of the aircraft that needed many types of work be it inspecting training, refueling. My 2nd year I was assigned as a crew chief helper. Doing inspections, aircraft forms. servicing fuel, hydraulic fluid, LOX, tires, struts anything to make that aircraft FMC and ready to go.. We were heavy in the suggestion program. Suggesting better methods to the engineers of how things could be done better. You saw the engine intake covers in the video. I designed and we tested a set. The original EIC's were near 1/4 in thick and as big as a child swimming pool. They were heavy and bulky. When deployed with the aircraft they took alot of room either in the read lower lobe or in the cabin. My design made them fordable to a 14" by 14" square each, Stack able. It took 3 years but through the AF Suggestion program it passed Oh The one intake cover that the aircraft came with had a $2500 price tag. Mine cost $50 to make AND what inspired me was during a trip to Iceland while facing horizontal winds I saw a security guard get hit by a cover and was sent to the hospital with a concussion. My cover if his anyone would wrap around diffusing the energy around them. I was an assistant crew chief and having 6 months left in my 1st enlistment I was a crew chief meeting the the standards of full professional care and control of the aircraft while on the ground. I am proud to be an original part of the AWACS program
Cool, I always wondered who came up with the vinyl engine covers...
A fun aircraft to work on. I was a flightline controller and then a controller in maintenance control. Went to NATO-OTAN and crewed nato 1 (442) for three years, 1982-1985. To be honest, that was a blast!
Hey my favorite aircraft, cool!.
Used to pass by Tinker AFB all the time and would watch these bad boys. I live in Tulsa now and live on the flight path for Tulsa International Airport which is also crossed as an air force base so there always a lot of different planes coming in. An E-3 flew over the other day and is the absolute LOUDEST I’ve ever heard apart from the fighters absolutely loved it
Cool reference in the beginning to F22 Lightning II game. I played that as a kid and it’s what inspired me to become a pilot. I’m an airline pilot today because of my early gaming
I had this really small metal toy of one of these I got from my brother who was in the USAF at the time
This is an amazing airplane for what it was intended to be used for. The Boeing 707, has had many retro-fits, and this, puts it at the forefront of detecting enemy warfare, with the large rotating disk above the rear of the fuselage. With the capability of aerial refueling, it can stay in the air indefinitely at the Air Force General's disposal to mainly use it for the sole purpose.
The good ole AWACS days...True story..My father was an MP and I spent a good portion of my childhood in Okinawa Japan on Kadena Air Force Base. (Kadena was 1 of 5 Awacs bases in the world at the time) The school used to always take us on field trips to see the AWACS plane. I thought it was so cool. Fast forward 10 years, I turned 17 and my parents signed for me to join the Air Force and I became the youngest AWACS radar tech. I was actually the youngest person in the entire US military for 6months after I joined.
Once got an offer to work on the sensors suite, but had to relocate to Oklahoma. Was really tempted but didn't take the job. Sexy aircraft.
Worked on these when I was stationed at NAS Keflavik 1990 - 1992. Great aircraft.
... At a height of 41' ... Guess you gotta be aware of those "low clearance" bridges when flying it 😉 ...
The AWACS can also detect ground vehicle traffic and watercraft. It isn't necessary that the target has a radar system, but, of course, that makes the target just that much easier to acquire. This is the best example of what is called look-down radar.
Mind seeing one of these beauties twice. Once, at the RAF Leuchars airshow in the early ninties. And again, at former RAF Kinloss back in '03. Got to see the latter AWACS up closer, thanks to the generosity of the In Flight staff. Very impressive aircraft.
I never realized just how amazing this aircraft is. I work with it a lot in DCS, and have gained a whole new level of respect for this aircraft. Thank you for this video.
Thank you for this video. I served in OKC, 1979 - 1985 in Division scheduling then weapons controller in the 964th Sqd. In Okinawa 1985 - 87 as weapons controller with the 961 and Disaster Prep Officer. I often tell folks by the time they hear of action on the news AWACS is already on station. Thanks again.
Howdy Barry. I arrived at Tinker in Jan 83, and served in the 963rd, 965th, 966th, 960th and 961st at Tinker, Keflavik, and Kadena until Jul 94. Videos like these are nostalgic for me.
Enemy: "Fire AA missiles"
E-3: "Fuckkkkkkkkk Youuuuuuuuuuuuuu"
turns 5*
Enemy: "Target lost. Lock broken."
E-3: "YYEEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"
At Tinker AFB I seen these massive planes landing. They are freaking huge. It's a full size jet liner with a saucer on top. Crazy big
Awesome vid never understood what the awacs did til now
My first exposure to this baby was actually from a 1996 radio drama - Independence Day UK. And yes, it was a tie in to the film Independence Day, told from a British perspective. Half the action was told aboard an E-3 that was hosting a live radio show during the alien invasion, and while the Sentry wasn't used to anything like its full capacity, it certainly got me interested!
Well, that and the part where Sir Patrick Moore had a fistfight with an extraterrestrial. That was fun, too.
Fascinating to think the new E7 can do the same task now with 2 engines and edge antenna
I know this aircraft well. LOL And I was part of the 40-45 upgrade. We actually earned awards for that one.
Little known fact, at 2:00 you will see the emblem of Luxembourg.
That's because the shown aircraft is registered there. ;D
Mandernach Luca The NATO Fleet is registered in Luxembourg.
What is the music you use for your channel intro with the Roman centurion please? 🎧
I try to find it 100 times i was not able to do so.
Danny Olson - If I Lose Myself Tonight 👍
Love your vids, keep up the good work. And also could you please do a video on the E-7 Wedgetail.
Anything with the "OK" on the tail, I have probably worked on them. Although one thing you won't see on an AWACS tail is the blue stripe. That was the first flight I was a part of, but it was absorbed by the red and white flights. Also, you wanna talk about old. I was a comm/nav specialist for the 552nd and there was one time I was looking for a break in a wire on one of the aircraft. I find the break, open up the panel, go to work on the wire, and it as well as the wires surrounding it crumbled in my hand. The only reason they were still intact was because no one had probably touched them in decades. There was even a time I fixed a R/T (receiver/transmitter) by simply hitting it with a rubber mallet because it wouldn't tune and I was getting mad at it. You could actually hear the radios whirl while tuning into the selected frequency. Old tech is still the best option sometimes.
Hi , im on Op. Rescript, for this covid19, im currently doing armed sentry patrol duty for the new P8 Poseidons that are temporarily staying at RAF Kinloss barracks, so the runway at RAF Lossiemouth is being retarmaced, and do a documentary on the p8 poseidons with their sonar buoys that plop out the rear end, and has anti submarine ordinances just like its predecessor the NIMROD, anyway keep them docs streamming in!
Thanks
Ex GDSM, now an LAC Mark C Pirie
See these in RAF Waddington on the way to school
I'm pretty sure an E-3 flew near my house today. Palmdale CA. Nothing particularly special, we get all the cool craft here, like the U-2, B-2, F-22s, and NASA test craft.
Local dialect pronunciation:
Hanscom AFB (place or origin of the B25 that hit the Empire State Building) is located just off MA Route 128 and in the heart of the technology center of New England.
The field is not called “Hans Com,” rather the Yankee dialect turns it into “Hanscome.”
Bedford is near major Raytheon, BAE, iRobot, Ely facilities and MIT Lincoln Labs. It is a short flight from Portsmouth, NH Pease AFNG refueling base. Airspace includes Logan International and much small Manchester-Boston. Thus lots of traffic (well before Covid) to track in the Nashua (NH) ATC Area (Boston Center).
Good analysis
I'm in OKC, these things fly over my house every day. In STL I'd never see them .
I seen a UK version of this aircraft flying really low in Derbyshire, awesome sight 😎
Lowlander 2004 Not for much longer, the RAF is getting rid of theres and replacing them with the E-7 Wedgetail, as used by the Australian Air Force.
Damn it man, why do the words spoken with your accent magically seem more believable? Love your content. “Keep up the Fire.”
I flew "back-end crew"on USAF AWACS "A" models in the mid 1980s and also on RC-135. A beautiful site is a KC-135 aerial refueling an AWACS or an RC-135. All three are Boeing airframe "sisters." All three have been incredible High-Value Asset "Force Multipliers" for several decades.
can you look at the RAAF E-7A Wedgetail which is the Aussie version of this aircraft and compare it to what the replacement for the E3 is likely to be?
B Beck E7 wedgetail is a much more advanced aircraft, being that it is more modern. The UK is ordering 5 to replace their E-3’s.
@@TT-hd3zi Oh I knew the wedgie was much newer but wondered how it would compare to the planned E3 replacement Matt referred to
B Beck do you mean the e-10? Because it’s hard to say, it got cancelled before it really took off (pun intended).
I saw one of these today flying over Tinker. Very interesting to see.
i live under their flight path
You should do a video on the navy’s version of this that’s capable of being deployed on aircraft carriers
Can you make one about Saab Ereiye AWACS?
What makes me happy is the fact that F-35 pilots have said that by themselves they are a mini AWACS, plus they are stealthy! As someone that served in the US army for 12 years I know how important AWACS aircraft are and it is just crazy how powerful and advanced the sensors on they F-35 are. Once you get a 2 or 4 F-35's in the air it's game over for the enemy. Also if for some reason their aren't many F-35's around all you need is one to escort some F-15, F-16 or F-18's and the F-35 will act as the AWACS and guide their missiles to the targets!
If they turn their radars on, they are no longer stealthy...
@@jcak552 actually it's still extremely difficult for an enemy fighter or ground radar to track the F-35 because the F-35's AESA radar is very stealth and difficult to track. Plus the F-35 doesn't need to turn on it's radar to see and kill the enemy because it's passive sensors are so good.
MississippiRebel Lol No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.... I hope you are correct.. however, with the number and frequency of leaks from the military industrial complex in recent years, I do not share your confidence level...
Always turns my head seeing these things in the sky. The disc looks so out of place, even from afar hehe.
Impressive aircraft. Always surprised that the radar disk dosent break off during flight.
fun fact u can use the broadband antenna on top to provide broadband Internet for a region in case of an catastrophe cause u can tune in the tranciver for the frequency of mobile Internet devices 4.3 ghz
The early version of this aircraft is responsible for the early release of many of us in the 276 field within a year of the initial testing date given in this video. The fading away of a system that went back to the early days of RADAR. Odd as it seems, even in '75/'76 there were Airmen who had never worked a manual site. In the movies, the interplay of the scope operator and the person behind the Plexiglas map plotting and intercept gone right or wrong is still iconic but now.....
can you do this for the mainstay? or what ever the russians are using these days..
I hit the like button as soon as I saw the front of those engines. Classic! I wonder though, why is it that the E-3 more or less the same engines whereas the KC-135 got the upgraded turbofan engines with the higher bypass ratios? Don’t get me wrong, I love the classic 707 engines more as a look.
This makes me think Airbus A380 AWACS would be badass
Especially since you could pack half the lower deck with extra fuel containers. And maybe put some RAMs under the wings for self defense? Or even some anti ballistic missile weapons?
There is already a 737-700 version called the E-7...
The big motivation to go to the all glass cockpit, no one makes the analog gauges anymore for the plane. The pilots have to be physically fit to fly this plane. No power boost to speak of. Just the tabs on the flying surfaces. I wounder how hard it would be to migrate the system to the Boeing 777 or 787? Considering the design for the 707 is older than I am it is an incredible plane. The B52 is about the only thing older then the 707 in active service.
I can tell you have never flown on one... It flys like any other airplane...
@@jcak552 Yes it flies like any other plane 6 plus years old. All manual controls except the rudder I believe. The alternative aircraft I mentioned are fly by wire and may take some modification. The 707 air frame is dated and takes more maintenance than modern aircraft. I was referring to systems. I am not a pilot. I do have a close friend that has been a pilot on the E3 it was a bear refueling inflight as a result of the manual controls. C5 and C17 have T tails and are harder to control when refueling from the KC10 extender.
John Rodrigues That 3000psi hydraulic system negates all you are talking about as far as controlling the surfaces... as far difficult to A/R.. depends on the skill of the pilot... Boeing has already made and sold the E-7, a 737-700 with a canoe on top rather than the Dome... as far as maintenance time, that comes with age.... hummm the Oldest B-52 H was built in the 60s... the oldest KC-135 is 57-1419... but 135s are not 707 airframes...
Been seeing them since I was a baby am 37 now
Everyone wants to be a fighter pilot,
But the real power is in AWACS, Mid-air refueling, and bombers as Fighters are quite helpless when they are on the ground.
I’m an Air Force Security Forces member stationed at Tinker AFB. This information makes these unassuming planes sound much more interesting, lol. Great video as usual man!👍
PS These things are NOT fun to fly on. They feel every bit of 4+ decades old.
Who told you that?😂 they may be old but they don’t “feel” old when flying in one. They look old on the inside that’s for sure. But it’s not a rough ride by any means. Just a touch louder than what you would be used to on a commercial airliner.
James Blanton I’m speaking from experience. SF guys fly with the plane on fly-away missions to provide internal security wherever the plane goes. Sometimes we’ll be off the ground for less than 2 hours before there’s smoke in the cockpit, instrument clusters stop working, cabin air pressure is lost, and we need to make an emergency landing. Fun stuff! But you’re probably right I’m likely spoiled from flying commercial all my life and E3’s are quite different from that.
Such cool aircraft. I use to play this PS2 game called Heatseeker. Sometimes the bonus missions were to protect the E-3 Sentry AWACs. Or find and shoot down it's Russian counterpart.
Literally watching from OKC as a AWAC is roaring by.
its a radar dish up in the sky, radar locates electronic signals, a power plant, a jet, a radio on a car, a computer, etc.
I hope the glass cockpit of the 737 in the E-3 has it's software fully scrubbed for the bugs the Dash 8's have!
This aircraft makes me emotional for some reason ever since I was a little kid I loved the USA (live in Germany) and every time I saw it fly I just look up and now it’s the same thing it’s really a reminder to me that some day I will more to the US
USA here. I had an opportunity to see several different parts of the world. The US has a lot going on, arguably more than any other country in the world. But I have to say that Germany is a beautiful country. I wish that the language hadn't been such a handicap for me. Enjoy it as much as you can.
Snaker Stran Germany is cool, but I feel like I don’t fit in because I’m the biggest gun nut. Also I just like American Culture in general and joining the 75th Ranger battalion seems like a dream Job to me and it’s just my childhood dream to go to the US. For some reason ever since I could draw all I did was draw American Planes, Tanks and Guns and like one of the first things I ever wrote was that I want to join the US Military😂
Hey Matt. Loving your new short format videos.
E3s days in the RAF are numbered it'll be replaced by the E7 in a few years time. As is I think only 4 of the RAFs E3s are in use as they scavenge the others to find parts that grow scarcer all the time given the aircrafts age.
Yes, my favorite aircraft. 17 years about 6,000 hrs. You got mixed up on the versions a little bit but thats ok. Later
There's going to be a lot of people going for AWACS after lockdown finishes
I always wondered how it compares to other AWACS type planes?
Can you cover the Hawker Siddley Nimrod in future? it's got a place in my heart knowing several former crewmen.
How interesting & they can even detect anything on the ground at 41000ft. Does australia have those planes as well
I saw one of those flying over Tulsa Ok years ago
With out the AWACS NO Air or ground opps can happen.
And one of the coolest looking aircraft in the Air today.
Actually the AWACS story in the AF goes further than 1977, back to the 50’s. Look up the Lockheed Constellation EC-12D, the E3’s predecessor.
I have a coworker who’s good friends with an AWACS pilot and was lucky enough to get a tour. Impressive but yeah it seems to be held together by duck tape haha. And I can confirm that yes they do snack a LOT when working. That crew’s personal favorites were chicken nuggets haha
It all started with the navy RC121’s and Air Force EC121’s in 1953. Used converted Lockheed Connie’s.
What's really cool about what you do with these videos , is I've always read about these things, but seeing them is so much different
For some reason I read the title as E-3 Eowks.
That radar weighs 92 Tons?! Jeeeeezuz
Matsimus, Could you do a video on the newer E-8 AWACS you mentioned? Thank you for all that you do I learn so much from them.
Awesome aircraft. Great video. Really enjoyed it
The next generation should be the long range 787 Dreamliner with the dish and code named the E 4 Sandman
The E-4 moniker is taken already by KneeCap...
I drew my own version of an AWACS, but for space combat.
thanks. a great little doco what an awesome pice of equipment
Due to a lack of near-peer adversaries during its operational lifetime, I think we don't really appreciate how vulnerable they are, especially to HARM-style radar homing missiles.
I see these most days
Few miles away from Tinker AFB
If you're flying anywhere in central Europe,
that plane knows
Will they call the replacement the EWOCS?
The Rise Of Nations game (information age mode) is good for practicing real time combat strategies, it needs more units for more details of information age war
Please do a video on the Pinaka MBRLS or the Russian Smerch and or the Brahmos missile if possible !!