NATO E-3A Sentry Departure RIAT24

Boeing E-3A Sentry LX-N90456 Departing RAF Fairford Royal International Air Tattoo 2024 RIAT 2024 NATO operates a fleet of Boeing E-3A Airborne Warning & Control System (AWACS) aircraft, with their distinctive radar domes mounted on the fuselage, which provide the Alliance with air surveillance, command and control, battle space management and communications. NATO Air Base (NAB) Geilenkirchen, Germany, is home to 14 AWACS aircraft. The NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force (NAEW&C Force) is one of the few military assets that is actually owned and operated by NATO itself (the vast majority of military assets deployed under the NATO banner are national capabilities of individual member countries). Under normal circumstances, the aircraft operates for about eight and a half hours, at 30,000 feet (9,150 metres) and covers a surveillance area of more than 120,000 square miles (310,798 square kilometres). The aircraft is capable of flying longer operations due to its air-to-air refuelling capability. The fleet is currently involved in assurance measures that followed Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea in 2014, as well as in tailored assurance measures to Turkey. In addition, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the fleet is currently monitoring NATO airspace in order to assure and protect Allies. NATO AWACS aircraft are also providing surveillance and situational awareness to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, thereby making the skies safer AWACS surveillance aircraft played an important role in previous NATO operations such as in the United States after 9/11, in Libya and in Afghanistan. It also provides air surveillance support to secure the skies over NATO summits or other important international events that take place across the Alliance. #aviationlovers #aviation