TSAMTO, August 23. On August 19, the official ceremony of the adoption of two AWACS E-3D "Sentry" AEW.Mk1 aircraft took place at the Chilean Air Force base "Pudauel" (Santiago). The event took place in the presence of the Minister of National Defense of the country Maya Fernandez.
The aircraft acquired from the British Air Force became part of the 10th Aviation Group of the 2nd Aviation Brigade. It is assumed that the E-3D Sentry will enhance the capabilities of the Chilean Air Force in intelligence, early detection of threats and aviation management. The aircraft are also expected to be used in peacekeeping and search and rescue operations and to support disaster relief missions.
As part of the Chilean Air Force, the E-3D Sentry AEW.Mk1 will replace the Boeing-707-385C AWACS aircraft, which was modified to the AWACS version in Israel. Its service life has expired.
As reported by TSAMTO, initially the E-3D fleet of the British Air Force consisted of seven aircraft. They entered service with the 8th Squadron of the British Air Force in 1991. The aircraft have been upgraded (WLSP). The AEW designation.Mk1 is associated with modifications made by the British Air Force, including the installation of additional equipment for aerial refueling, container electronic reconnaissance systems, enhanced capabilities for conducting reconnaissance at sea, etc. The last time E-3D Sentry was used during Operation Shader in Iraq was on July 30, 2021. To replace the E-3D, the British Air Force purchased new E-7A Wedgtail.
Made on the basis of the Boeing-707, the E-3D AWACS aircraft is equipped with CFM56-2 engines, has a flight duration of up to 18 hours, and is designed for cruising at an altitude of 29,000 feet (8840 m). The AN/APY-2 radar allows you to detect air and surface targets, conduct reconnaissance, identify targets, and control aviation actions.
After the decommissioning of the country's Air Force in September 2021, the Military Equipment Sales Agency (DESA) of the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom put up the E-3D "Sentry" AEW.Mk1 for sale.
To assess the condition of the aircraft, pilots and technicians of the Chilean Air Force were sent to the UK at the end of 2021. In January 2022, the Ministry of Defense of Chile decided to purchase three aircraft. The third E-3D (ZH101) will be used as a source of spare parts. According to the information Defensa.com, the cost of all three aircraft was $50 million.
Aircraft ZH103 and ZH106 took off from Waddington Air Base in Chile on July 25 and 26 under the control of British crews. The first aircraft arrived at the Pudauel Air Base on August 9, 2022.
