964th EAACS: Funny looking plane, important mission

Airmen of the 964th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sara Csurilla)

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AWACS

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Annie Coney, Senior Airman Jeremiah Snyder and Airman 1st Class Madelyn Kirin, E-3 Sentry (AWACS) airborne sensor operators with the 964th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron, monitor aircraft over Afghanistan, Feb. 29, 2012. The mission of the 964th EAACS is to provide an accurate, real-time picture of the battlespace to the Joint Air Operations Center. The E-3 Sentry crew also provides situational awareness of friendly, neutral and hostile activity, command and control of an area of responsibility, battle management of theater forces, all-altitude and all-weather surveillance of the battle space, and early warning of enemy actions during joint, allied, and coalition operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Greg C. Biondo)(Released)

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AWACS

U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry flight engineer Staff Sgt. Timothy Van Der Noord of Phoenix, Ariz., conducts systems checks on his aircraft during a combat support operation over Afghanistan March 1, 2012. Van Der Noord is deployed to the 964th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron. The E-3 Sentry is an airborne warning and control system, or AWACS, that provides situational awareness of friendly, neutral and hostile activity, command and control of an area of responsibility, battle management of theater forces, all-altitude and all-weather surveillance of the battle space, and early warning of enemy actions during joint, allied, and coalition operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. DeNoris A. Mickle/Released)

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Operation Enduring Freedom

U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry air surveillance officer Maj. Bill McRaven of San Diago, Calif., monitors his equipment during a combat support operation over Afghanistan March 1, 2012. McRaven is deployed to the 964th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron. The E-3 Sentry is an airborne warning and control system, or AWACS, that provides situational awareness of friendly, neutral and hostile activity, command and control of an area of responsibility, battle management of theater forces, all-altitude and all-weather surveillance of the battle space, and early warning of enemy actions during joint, allied, and coalition operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. DeNoris A. Mickle/Released)

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AWACS

Capt. Mitchell Hudson, a E-3 Sentry (AWACS) navigator with the 964th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron, monitors flight plans over Afghanistan, Feb. 29, 2012. The mission of the 964th EAACS is to provide an accurate, real-time picture of the battlespace to the Joint Air Operations Center. The E-3 Sentry crew also provides situational awareness of friendly, neutral and hostile activity, command and control of an area of responsibility, battle management of theater forces, all-altitude and all-weather surveillance of the battle space, and early warning of enemy actions during joint, allied, and coalition operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Greg C. Biondo)(Released)

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964th EAACS: Funny looking plane, important mission

Published March 6, 2012
By Staff Sgt. Sara Csurilla
U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- One of the most distinguishing features of the airborne warning and control systems or, AWACS, Airmen's mission is the aircraft they fly, the E-3 Sentry.

The Sentry has a huge rotating radar dome fastened to its roof that resembles an over-sized hockey puck.

It might look funny at first, but the dome serves a major purpose that helps the Airmen of the 964th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron complete their mission every day.

"The 964th EAACS's mission is to provide tactical command and control throughout the battle space," said Lt. Col. David F. Evans, 964th EAACS commander. "We ensure our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen have air power at a moment's notice to ensure their safety and security."

These AWACS Airmen provide tactical command and control by talking to people on the ground that request air assets and find an aircraft to support their need. If that plane needs gas, they find them a tanker. Command and Control is also referred to as C2.

The dome on the aircraft is what sends out radar signals, which allow the crew onboard to detect aircraft and command and control the battle space in an air engagement.

Along with the dome, the inside of the Sentry is also quite different from most airplanes. Rows of computer terminals equipped with all types of C2 and other special capabilities line the inside of the aircraft. These are the work stations the Airmen spend countless hours on while on board.

With more than 200 operators working in 10 different specialties within the squadron, AWACS personnel have played a large role in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"All Airmen in the 964th EAACS contribute to the OEF mission by accomplishing their job, whether it be surveillance, communications, computers or radar," said Chief Master Sgt. Nick Banda, the chief enlisted advisor with the 964th EAACS. "Each enlisted member has a critical part to play in making the AWACS aircraft work as it was designed."

Specialties vary from communications systems operators and airborne radar technicians to pilots and electronic warfare officers, all fulfilling their specific and necessary positions.

The operators are spilt up into several crews and rotate schedules throughout their deployments. When on duty Banda said, "Each sortie is about 14 hours-long, but could be extended if circumstance warrants."

Airmen assigned to the 964th put in long hours, hard work and make it their mission every time they step onboard to have incredible attention to detail; the commander said he asks himself every day how these Airmen get this mission done.

"The aircrews have done a phenomenal job addressing theater challenges and finding solutions," he said. "Their 98 percent mission execution rate throughout the last four months can be attributed to the combined maintenance and operations team, their hard work and unwillingness to fail."