List of AEW&C aircraft operators


Airborne early warning and control aircraft are airborne radar systems designed to detect and track aircraft, missiles, ships and vehicles and provide command and control to direct friendly forces. Some operators, such as the Royal Air Force refer to such aircraft as Airborne early warning, while others reserve the shorter name for AEW aircraft lacking command and control facilities.

Current AEW&C operators

OperatorAircraftUnitTotalCountry
Royal Australian Air ForceBoeing E-7 WedgetailNo. 2 Squadron RAAF6Australia
Brazilian Air ForceEmbraer R-99A5Brazil
Chilean Air ForceBoeing E-3D Sentry2Chile
People's Liberation Army Air ForceKJ-20005China
People's Liberation Army Air ForceKJ-20013+China (PRC)
People's Liberation Army Air Force/ People's Liberation Army Naval Air ForceKJ-50015+China (PRC)
People's Liberation Army Naval Air ForceKamov Ka-31 Helix BUnknown UnknownChina (PRC)
People's Liberation Army Naval Air ForceChanghe Z-8 AEWUnknown UnknownChina (PRC)
People's Liberation Army Naval Air ForceChanghe Z-18JUnknown UnknownChina (PRC)
Republic of China Air ForceGrumman E-2T/K Hawkeye6China (ROC/“Taiwan”)
Egyptian Air ForceGrumman E-2C Hawkeye8Egypt
French Air ForceBoeing E-3F Sentry4France
French NavyGrumman E-2C Hawkeye3 or 4France
Hellenic Air ForceEmbraer EMB-145H4Greece
Indian Air ForceBeriev A-50EINo. 50 Squadron3India
Indian Air ForceDRDO AEW&CSNo. 200 Squadron3India
Indian NavyKamov Ka-31 Helix BINAS 33914India
Israeli Air ForceGulfstream G550 CAEW7Israel
Italian Air ForceGulfstream G550 CAEW14° Stormo2Italy
Japan Air Self-Defense ForceBoeing E-767
AEW Group4Japan
Japan Air Self-Defense ForceGrumman E-2C HawkeyeAEW Group13Japan
Korean People's Air ForceAntonov An-24Unknown1North Korea
Republic of Korea Air ForceBoeing E-7 Wedgetail5th Tactical Airlift Wing4South Korea
Mexican Air ForceEmbraer 145AEW&C501st Squadron1Mexico
NATOBoeing E-3A SentryNATO AEW&C FC14Several
Pakistan Air ForceSaab 2000 ErieyeNo. 13 Squadron5Pakistan
Pakistan Air ForceShaanxi ZDK-03 K. EagleNo. 4 Squadron4Pakistan
Russian Air ForceBeriev A-50Russia
Royal Saudi Air ForceBoeing E-3A Sentry5Saudi Arabia
Royal Saudi Air ForceSaab 2000 Erieye2Saudi Arabia
Republic of Singapore Air ForceGulfstream G5504Singapore
Swedish Air ForceSaab 340 AEW&C2Sweden
Royal Thai Air ForceSaab 340 AEW&C2Thailand
United States Air ForceBoeing E-3B/C Sentry,18th & 552nd Wings32United States
United States NavyGrumman E-2C-I/II Hawkeye10+ squadrons55United States
Turkish Air ForceBoeing E-7 Wedgetail131st squadron4Turkey
Polish Air ForceSaab 340 AEW&C43 Naval Aviation Base2Poland
United Arab Emirates Air ForceSaab GlobalEye5United Arab Emirates

Historical AEW operators

OperatorAircraftPeriodTotal
Soviet Air ForcesAntonov An-711985–19913
Royal Air ForceAvro Shackleton AEW.21972–199112
United States NavyBoeing PB-1W Flying Fortress1946–195522
Royal Air ForceBritish Aerospace Nimrod AEW31982–198611
United States Navy & Marine CorpsDouglas A-1W Skyraider1948–1967417
Royal Navy Fleet Air ArmDouglas Skyraider AEW.I1951–196250
Royal Navy Fleet Air ArmFairey Gannet AEW.31959–197844
United States NavyGrumman AF-2W Guardian1950–1957154
United States NavyGrumman TBM-3W Avenger1945–195040
French AéronavaleGrumman TBM-3W Avenger1952–196040
Japan Maritime Self-Defense ForceGrumman TBM-3W Avenger1954–1961
Netherlands Marine Luchtvaart DienstGrumman TBM-3W Avenger1954–196024
Royal Canadian NavyGrumman Avenger Mk.3W21952–19598
Royal Navy Fleet Air ArmGrumman Avenger AEW1951–1955
United States NavyGrumman E-1 Tracer1961–197788
United States Air ForceLockheed EC-121 Warning Star1954–197882
United States NavyLockheed WV-1/WV-2 Warning Star1954–1971145
Soviet Air ForcesTupolev Tu-1261965–19849
Royal Air ForceVickers Wellington1944–19452+
Royal Air ForceBoeing Sentry AEW.11991-20217