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Upgraded E-3 Sentry deploys to combat theater
By Darren D. Heusel
Tinker Air Force Base Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla.
— The long-awaited, highly antici-
pated deployment of the E-3 Sentry
(AWACS) Block 40/45 is finally over,
with the deployment of the first up-
graded weapon system to a combat
theater of operations.
The first E-3G arrived in Southwest
Asia Nov. 18, marking the deployment
of the most comprehensive modifica-
tion to the weapon system in its 38-
year history. The changes improved
communications, computer process-
ing power, threat tracking, and other
capabilities.
The $2.7 billion upgrades replace
some hardware and software that
dates to the 1970s, signaling a game-
changer to airborne surveillance and
air battle management.
“This modification represents the
most significant upgrade in the 35-
plus year history of the E-3 and greatly Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex,
enhances our crewmembers’ ability
to execute the command and control
mission, while providing a building
block for future upgrades,” said Col.
David Gaedecke, the commander of
the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker
Air Force Base and E-3 pilot.
To date, nine of the 27 E-3s assigned the remainder of the airborne surveil-
to the 552nd ACW have received the
modification and have met their crew
certification on the Block 40/45 sys-
tems.
“This is the initial combat deploy-
ment for the capability after numerous
exercises,” Gaedecke said. “Crews will
Former U.S. Marine Corps Navajo Code Talker George Willie shakes hands with a grateful
audience member during the Native American Heritage Month Meeting at Nellis Air Force
Base, Nev., Nov. 19. Willie was accompanied by his wife and two of his daughters who helped
to tell the story of his service in the Pacific theater during World War II.
News
be able to process tactical information, Gaedecke has previously laid out
providing combatant commanders the plan for the aircraft to participate according to mission and survival
with increased situational awareness.” in Red Flag in August and, if all went
well, deploy the weapon system in
The Block 40/45 provides opera- combat this fall.
tional and technological reliability,
maintainability, supportability, and “While our tactics, techniques and
integration of future technologies and procedures employing this new capa-
growth opportunities. bility continue to be refined, exercises in-flight refueling and the use of an
like Red Flag allowed crews to gain
The new modifications also auto- experience with the system, which
mate previously manual functions included capabilities unavailable with
and improve the amount of data E-3 30/35,” he said.
aircrews can receive and share with
allied forces on missions such as coun- Known for its signature black-and-
terdrug surveillance. white rotating radar dome that sits on
top of the aircraft, the E-3 provides
“This upgrade takes computing all-weather surveillance, command,
capability from 1970s technology to control and communications needed
current day,” Gaedecke said. “Tied with by commanders of U.S., NATO and
the Deployable Ground System, this other allied air defense forces.
allows both operators and intelligence
personnel capabilities far beyond (the In support of air-to-ground opera-
older model) 30/35.” tions, the Sentry can provide direct
information needed for interdiction,
The upgrade has been a partner- reconnaissance, airlift and close air
ship between the 552nd ACW; the E-3 support to friendly ground forces. It
System Program Offices at Hanscom can also provide information for com-
AFB, Massachusetts; Tinker AFB; the manders of air operations to gain and
maintain control of the air battle.
which performs the modification; and
the Boeing Co., the prime contractor. As an air defense system, E-3s can
detect, identify and track airborne
The E-3G model reached initial op- enemy forces far from boundaries of
erating capability on July 28, 2015, and the U.S. or NATO countries. It can
the OC-ALC went into full-rate pro- direct fighter-interceptor aircraft to
duction shortly thereafter, a milestone enemy targets. The E-3 is designed to
marking the start of faster upgrades for respond quickly and effectively to a
crisis and support worldwide deploy-
lance and battle management fleet. ment operations.
While the E-3Gs have been flown With its mobility as an airborne
in counterdrug operations for U.S. warning and control system, the Sen-
Southern Command and in homeland try has a greater chance of surviving
defense missions as part of Operation in warfare than a fixed, ground-based
Noble Eagle, they have yet to be flown radar system. Among other things, the
in active combat missions until now.
U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Kleinholz NAVAJO, from page 1 _________
and catholic priests are all examples of out an assignment there as well. He
stimulus that would get him to spill the is one of very few Americans alive
beans after all these years.
As a Navajo Code Talker, Wil-
lie was part of a top secret Marine
Corps recruiting program that aimed
to integrate bi-lingual Navajo radio
operators into combat units using
Native American code words to
guarantee communications security.
The Japanese showed they were very
adept at cracking U.S. codes and the
Navajo solution became an integral
driving force to victory in the Pacific. New Mexico.
After enlisting in 1943, Willie went
on to graduate from the program and
took part in direct conflict throughout
the Pacific theater, the most notable
event being the bloody invasion of
Okinawa in 1945. There, Willie dem-
onstrated great physical fortitude,
demonstrating his mastery of more
than 420 codes in one of the most
hostile environments ever encountered
by U.S. forces.
3November 25, 2015
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flight path can quickly be changed
requirements.
The E-3 can also f ly a mission
profile for more than eight hours
without refueling. Its range and on-
station time can be increased through
onboard crew rest area.
The 552nd ACW is home to the E-3,
with 27 of the f leet’s 31 AWACS being
housed at Tinker. The remaining air-
craft are stationed at Kadena Air Base,
Japan, and Joint Base Elemendorf-
Richardson, Alaska.
The fleet continues on its upgrade
timelines, with a rate of approximately
five aircraft being modified each year.
The 552nd ACW will continue to
operate out of their current forward
operating location for operations in
Afghanistan as part of Freedom Sen-
tinel and against the Islamic State in
Iraq and the Levant as part of Opera-
tion Inherent Resolve.
Now that the E-3Gs have been de-
ployed to a combat theater, Gaedecke
said AWACS will continue to be rel-
evant in the battle space of the future.
“Deploying to the combat theater is
the culmination of many hard hours,
learning and building standard oper-
ating procedures to execute the mis-
sion in any combat or contingency
environment,” he said. “What the E-3
brings to the fight is essential to our
combat commanders, both in the air
and on the ground.”
Gaedecke said the new E-3G will
begin flying combat missions im-
mediately.
Prior to the detonation of the atom-
ic bomb in Nagasaki, Willie served
today to have witnessed the immedi-
ate aftermath.
Willie believed the program was
classified for years after he returned
home to live life as a family man and
farmer. Always a faithful Marine,
he said nothing of his involvement
in the war and continues to say very
little, even after the program was
declassified and he began attending
regular Navajo veterans reunions in
“The tribes are a very patriotic
people,” said Kish Lapierre, 99th
Civil Engineer Squadron archaeolo-
gist and event organizer. “For this
man to make the trip here and share
his story with our people is a great
honor for us all.”
Of the 400 original Navajo Code
Talkers recruited during the war,
Willie is believed to be one of only
20 who are alive today.