NATO AWACS takes part in Exercise Nordic Response 24 from February 26 to March 15.
The team of 15 different NATO nations will operate the two E-3A aircraft out of the airbase in Rygge, Norway.
NATO say here that the E-3A aircraft is often referred to as NATO’s ‘eyes in the skies’.
“This is due to its capability to detect air and sea movements hundreds of kilometres away. This data is shared with NATO commanders to provide them with a shared understanding of activities that take place in areas of particular concern. But there is another highly valuable role that the men and women normally based in Geilenkirchen, Germany, are providing. They serve as airborne battle managers who coordinate other forces, including Allied fighter aircraft, to retain control of Allied airspace.”
“The strategic role of the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force cannot be overstated. We can showcase this in a large scale, multi-domain scenario like Exercise Nordic Response 24, showing our determined ambition to dominate the airspace and defend the Alliance”, said Air Commodore Andrew Turk, NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander.
The alliance say that Exercise Nordic Response 24 is part of the Steadfast Defender 24 series of exercises, the largest in decades.
“For the first time NATO is setting new defence plans into reality proving their executability and NATO’s warfighting transformation. This marks a new era of collective defence and proves NATO Allies’ solidarity, unity and strength.”
What quantitive and qualitive effects would a wedgetail bring to this exercise?
The NATO models are far older but do have more crew. Can a smaller crew deal with and manage so many different platforms?
Apparently E7 is a complete game changer over E3. E7 is rumoured to be able to to land management way better than JSTARS and provide massive electronic attack capabilities.
Its going to be interesting see if AWACS and other airborne control platforms have a future. On one hand, they are large, poorly protected, expensive aircraft, vulnerable to an ever-expanding pool of weapons. Improvements in communication networks, satellites, and both MALE and HALE drones mean those personnel could potentially be doing their job better from a bunker in the UK than the skies over any given battlefield. Balanced against that is…not a lot, on the face of it. The massive radar arrays and assorted other sensors certainly offer more individual capability than any given drone today, but you have to… Read more »
you know in war, there is something called risk. Even in 1945 when the tank was the supreme force on the battlefield, they where still extremely vulnerable to a angry tube that could be easily carried by a 10 year old. Unfortunately everything in war is at risk to something, it is the nature of the beast. If anything Ukraine has shown how valuable such aircraft will be. Russia has the 2nd largest air force in the world and yet it can not even gain air supremacy over its much weaker neighbour, largely due to its inability to amass and… Read more »
Risk is a given, that’s why we weigh it against the potential reward to ascertain if an action is worthwhile. The Ukraine war has demonstrated that the CAPABILITY these aircraft offer is highly valuable. Its also become quite clear that the loss of these aircraft, the resources invested in them and the experienced crew they require, is incredibly damaging in an age where tight budgets and economic/industrial decline makes replacing major assets almost impossible in the short term. Thus the question; can the capability that AWACS aircraft provide be better delivered through other means? I’d be inclined to say yes;… Read more »
Hi folks hope all is well.
As ever I rely on you experts to inform me.
So apart from this collective NATO early warning asset, the UK has its own capability. I understand we are going to have the The E-7 Wedgetail, not sure of numbers. However, can we stand alone if required in a non NATO role?
Cheers
George
Yes we can, we are getting 3 which is just about enough for us but 5 would be way better.
Jim, thank God you are back mate…. the last couple of nights there was untold chaos on here…. Newbies coming out of the woodwork like Aliens on the Terraforming base on LV-426….. It was terrifying…… You missed all the fun……
Good to be back with the colonial marines, absolute bad asses all round 😀
“We’re on an express elevator to hell, going down “…. that’s for sure …..
everyday in the corps is like a day on farm – every meal a banquet, every pay check a fortune.
The only AEW platform the UK currently has in service, is the Navy’s Crowsnest. Which has yet to reach FOC. I don’t know how many Crowsnest role kits have been bought? But all 30 of the Navy’s HM2 Merlins are being modified to be able to fit Crowsnest. Not forgetting their primary role is ASW, so only a few will ever be roled with Crowsnest. The Searchwater radar that Crowsnest uses, is still a pretty good X-band radar. However, it is still a legacy pulse-doppler mechanically scanned radar. It is very good at spotting sea skimming missiles and very small… Read more »
Many thanks DavyB for such a comprehensive reply.
Cheers
George
10 sets of Crowsnest have been ordered with 5 fitted to helicopters at any one time.
Grrrrrrr. They should have been fitted to the spare HM1s in their own Sqn so the rest can do their ASW thing.
10, didn’t know that mate, thank you.
Evening Daniele,
Just settled down for the evening and checking the news and see that the Russians have lost another II 76 caught on film crashing after take off, to make matters worse ,an engine actually falls off it
Evening mate. Yes, seen it earlier. I was unsure if that was accident/failurr or enemy action as didn’t catch where in Russia it was.
Ivanovo Oblast
Thanks. If my memory serves me correctly that is east of Moscow so assume sabotage or plain shoddy maintainance!
Around 150 miles North north east
On this side of the Pond, there were 29 E3 Sentry. originally, since reduced to 25, then to 18 when we scrapped ours. Most of these are in a joint NATO force, comprising 15 European countries, which has 14. They share the cost and each contribute flight crew. 2 squadrons, based in Germany, with forward bases in Italy, Greece, Turkey and Norway. The French operate their own AEW squadron with 4 E3 Sentrys. 13 E7 Wedgetails are on order from NATO Europe countries so far, 6 for the jount NATO force. 4 for Turkey and our planned 3. Is 3… Read more »
E7’s are quite capable of 12+ hour missions on a regular basis (combat operationally proven). An Australian E7 over Iraq even managed 17 hours (with 2 airborne refuelings to stay in the air). These things are converted long range airliners. Room for spare crew, break areas, galley etc.
On a unrelated point, it seems Ukraines overnight UAV strikes in Russia might be getting under Mr Putins skin. Must be causing a nasty rash by now.
In a contested environment, how survivable is the platform and our own Crowsnest and Wedgetail?
Our Wedgetails are very safe and survivable they are in bits in a hanger, with no danger of flying near a combat zone soon.
😟🤣🤣
Hi David, it really depends on your opponent. In a peer vs peer war, on paper China would be a worse opponent to face than Russia. Mainly due to China investing in long range air to air missiles, like the PL17. Which has a similar role to Russia’s R37, but is likely to have better electronics. In that the PL17 and R37’s primary targets are AEW platforms. These missiles have a reported range of near 300 miles. The E2C/D, E3 and E7 have a radar detection range of a fighter sized target of over 300 miles. But that is a… Read more »
Any UK AWAC’s taking part? Or UK Bombers, or UK ground Attack, UK AEW, and any UK SEAD on this exercise?
Yes, Prince of Wales has a number of Crowsnest equipped Merlins. In one of UKDJ posts of aircraft operating from POW. You can see one in the background on the flight deck.
Wow we can supply a helicopter, or may be up to 3. How times have changed. I heard there were major issues with Crowsnest, any fact in that or it just gossip?
Well its meant to go out of service before 2030 and is just reaching service so that seems to be an issue?
Crownsnest, and F35B for all other roles and more. Especially air dominace and ISTAR.