An Airborne Early Warning (AEW) system is a
radar system carried by an
aircraft which is designed to detect other aircraft. Used at a high altitude, the radars allow the operators to distinguish between friendly and hostile aircraft hundreds of miles away.AEW aircraft are used for defensive and offensive air operations. The system is used offensively to direct fighters to their target locations, and defensively to counter attacks. Many countries have their own AEW systems, although the
E-3 Sentry and
Grumman E-2C Hawkeye are the popular systems worldwide. The Sentry was built by the
Boeing Defense and Space Group (now
Integrated Defense Systems) and is widely considered to be an international benchmark for AEW systems. It is based on the Boeing 707 aircraft. The E-2 Hawkeye, which entered service in
1965, is arguably the most widely used AEW system. The E-3 Sentry is not strictly an AEW system, as it has far more functionality—see
Airborne Warning and Control System. For the
Japan Air Self-Defense Force, the E-3 technology has been fitted into the
Boeing E-767.
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