Photographs have emerged in Saudi Arabia showing the aftermath of the Iranian missile attack on the American airbase Prince Sultan, located less than 100 km from Riyadh. The images depict the remnants of the unique E-3G Sentry long-range radar detection aircraft, which suffered devastating damage.
This is reported by Finway
Details of the Attack on Prince Sultan Airbase
According to the OSINTdefender analytical community, at least one E-3G Sentry aircraft was destroyed as a result of the ballistic missile and drone strikes on the US base. The released photos show that the aircraft has been reduced to a pile of scrap metal in the middle of the runway. The rear fuselage, where the rotating radar dome with sensitive equipment and radar system antennas is located, was particularly severely damaged.
“As a result of the ballistic missile and drone attack on the American military base, located less than 100 km from the capital Riyadh, at least one AWACS aircraft was destroyed. This conclusion is drawn by the OSINTdefender community, analyzing the images of the aircraft.”
It is known that the destroyed E-3G Sentry had the tail number 81-0005 and was assigned to the 552nd Air Wing at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, USA. According to the published images, the damage affected the most vulnerable part of the aircraft, where key components of the surveillance and control system are located.
Significance of the Loss for the US Air Force
The loss of this aircraft significantly impacts the capabilities of the US Air Force in providing command, control, and real-time surveillance in the combat zone. Following the attack, the operational fleet of E-3 Sentry aircraft was reduced from 16 to 15 units, which may affect the effectiveness of US air control in the region.
The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American long-range radar detection aircraft that has been in service since 1977 in the USA, the UK, France, and Saudi Arabia. A total of only 68 such aircraft were produced before the end of production in 1992, each valued at approximately 600 million USD.
In the lead-up to the escalation with Iran, the United States had already deployed over a hundred combat aircraft of various types to the Middle East, enhancing its military presence in the region.