RAF E-3D AWACS supports UK carrier strike group in Mediterranean

[aziqbal]

RAF E-3D AWACS supports UK carrier strike group in Mediterranean
by Tim Ripley



Two Royal Air Force (RAF) E-3D Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft have deployed to the Mediterranean to support UK-led Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21) operations and exercises in the region.

Two RAF E-3Ds have deployed to the Mediterranean to support CSG21. (Janes/Paul Tompkins)
The unannounced participation of the E-3Ds in the Mediterranean phase of the CSG21 deployment emerged after the aircraft's ADS-B transponder was tracked on an open source website during its missions from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

An E-3D was first tracked on 30 May operating east of Gibraltar after HMS Queen Elizabeth and CSG21 entered the Mediterranean. From 7 June onwards, the two E-3Ds have been flying over the eastern Mediterranean. On 20 June RAF and US Marine Corps F-35B Joint Strike Fighters launched from Queen Elizabeth and flew their first missions over Syria and Iraq. According to the tracking data, an E-3D was airborne to support this mission.

A senior UK defence source told Janes on 25 June that the E-3Ds were the operational command of the carrier strike group and it was likely they would be redeployed to the Mideast and Far East to support later stages of the CSG21 cruise to Japan and South Korea.

On 25 June an RAF spokesman confirmed the deployment of the aircraft to Janes , “RAF intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance assets, including the E-3D, are supporting the CSG21 deployment and associated operational flights. Operational command of supporting assets will depend on location and mission.”

RAF E-3D AWACS supports UK carrier strike group in Mediterranean

Two Royal Air Force (RAF) E-3D Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft have deployed to the Mediterranean to support UK-led Carrier Strike Group 21...

www.janes.com

so now the UK Carrier Strike Group not only has the largest 5th generation naval aircraft wing in the World its joined by 2 x E3 Sentry aircraft

the Russian episode surely caused a re-think of the air assets and now 2 x AWACS will be providing better situational awareness to the strike group

Type 45, Astute Class Hunter Killer Nuclear Submarine and now upgraded E3D AWACS

would be very difficult if not impossible to penetrate the perimeter of this strike group

 

[Ali_Baba]

so now the UK Carrier Strike Group not only has the largest 5th generation naval aircraft wing in the World its joined by 2 x E3 Sentry aircraft

the Russian episode surely caused a re-think of the air assets and now 2 x AWACS will be providing better situational awareness to the strike group

Type 45, Astute Class Hunter Killer Nuclear Submarine and now upgraded E3D AWACS

would be very difficult if not impossible to penetrate the perimeter of this strike group

It also highlights the inherent "design flaw" in the QE class that it cannot launch E2 AEW&Cs on it's own and is reliant on land based E3s.....

Building an A/C around the F35 'B' variant was never a good idea interms of flexibiity of operating many different types of aircraft from the platform.

 

[UKBengali]

It also highlights the inherent "design flaw" in the QE class that it cannot launch E2 AEW&Cs on it's own and is reliant on land based E3s.....

Building an A/C around the F35 'B' variant was never a good idea interms of flexibiity of operating many different types of aircraft from the platform.

The real reason is that the 3 Merlin AEW's on the carrier are pre-IOC sets which are not fully certified yet, and so you cannot be sure of how reliable they are.

The Merlin is fine for an AEW as it offers roughly half the detection range of an E-2 AWACS and so is ample for anything but stealth aircraft which Russia does not possess.