E-3 Sentry

A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry from the 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., flies over the National Training Center during Green Flag-West 11-9 Aug. 16, 2011, at Fort Irwin, Calif. Green Flag-West provides a realistic close-air support training environment for forces preparing to support worldwide combat operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brett Clashman/Released)

E-3 Sentry

An E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., flies a mission. The E-3 Sentry is modified Boeing 707/320 commercial airframe with a rotating radar dome. The dome is 30 feet in diameter, 6 feet thick and is held 11 feet above the fuselage by two struts. It contains a radar subsystem that permits surveillance from the Earth's surface up into the stratosphere, over land or water. The radar has a range of more than 200 miles for low-flying targets and farther for aerospace vehicles flying at medium to high altitudes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John K. McDowell)

E-3 Sentry

An E-3 Sentry takes off in support of Exercise Iron Thunder Feb. 7 at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. The excercise helped prepare Airmen for airborne operations while deployed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Matthew Davis)

E-3 Sentry

An E-3 A NATO E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System prepares to touch the tarmac after participating in Red Flag-Alaska 2009 April 30 at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. This exercise enabled flying squadrons to enhance their fighting capabilities in simulated combat sorties in a realistic threat environment. The 10-day exercise ended May 1. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Laura Turner)

E-3 Sentry

An E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft takes off Aug. 25 from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., while participating in a Red Flag exercise. Red Flag offers pilots and ground crews training in actual wartime scenarios to increase their combat skills. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Robert J. Sabonis)

E-3 Sentry

A combined Electronic Systems Center team from Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., recently tested the joint interoperability of a prototype interrogator for an E-3 Sentry AWACS, such as the one shown here. (U.S. Air Force photo)