Airborne early warning and control

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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 Boeing AWACS and Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye are the popular systems worldwide. AWACS is built by the Boeing Defense and Space Group and is widely considered to be an international benchmark for AEW systems. It is based on the Boeing 707 aircraft. The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, which entered service in 19965, is arguably the most widely used AEW system.

AWACS and Hawkeyes: The Complete History of Airborne Early Warning Aircraft (2002). Armistead, L. Motorbooks International. ISBN 0760311404.

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