Planes of guêt air ( AWACS for Airborne Warning and Control System in English; or SDCA for System of detection and airborne command French ) is in fact of the stations flying Radar making it possible at the same time to supervise a vast airspace, and headquarters de for the air operations or anti-aircraft fight.

Principle

Systems AWACS include/understand:

• an airborne platform, derived for example from a civil airliner
• a powerful radar assembled in a rotodome installed on the back of the platform
• the electronic systems and the necessary communication systems
• of the team members charged to monitor the radar screens and to coordinate the air operations

The modern AWACS can detect other planes up to 400 km of distance, well beyond the conventional anti-aircraft systems. They allow especially the detection of raids at low altitude, because they are not obstructed by the relief. In aerial combat, the AWACS can control the friendly traffic, extend the range of detection of the fighters and help them to remain discrete while enabling them to remain in silence radar. They are of course detectable by their own emissions and, very vulnerable, are protected by fighters.

History

The first AWACS was developed by the American marine with the beginning of the year 1950: it was about the E-1 Tracer , derived from the plane of anti-submarine Lutte Grumman Tracker S-2FT. Brought into service in 1954, it was replaced in 1964 by the first plane specifically designed for this role, the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, which was always in service in 2006.

On its side, USAF developed a more powerful system because not subjected to the constraints related to employment since a Porte-avions: the Boeing E-3 Sentry. This system was brought into service in 1977. The the USSR introduced into the years 1980 its own AWACS, the Beriev A-50 Mainstay , based on the Iliouchine It-76. These two systems were exported towards various countries.

Other more or less powerful systems were developed since, in particular by Israel.

External bonds

• Official site of Boeing AWACS