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380AEW Article

Photo essay: Sentry maintainers ready the deployed AWACS fleet

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Each day, an E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft flies off on a combat mission in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility providing an airborne command and control capability.

To keep the E-3 Sentry flying in the deployed areas, Airmen from the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Sentry aircraft maintenance unit manage the maintenance of the E-3 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

According to it's Air Force fact sheet, the E-3 Sentry is an aircraft with an integrated command and control battle management, or C2BM, surveillance, target detection, and tracking platform. The aircraft provides an "accurate, real-time picture" of the battlespace to the Joint Air Operations Center.

AWACS aircraft provide 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, the fact sheet states.

In this photo essay, Sentry maintenance Airmen deployed from the 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., supporting the 380th EAMXS work on an E-3 Sentry on April 16, 2010.