In this U.S. Air Force Aerospace Defense Command News Digest (No. 91), likely from 1972, viewers see the tests conducted on a Boeing EC-137D Sentry (later named the Boeing E-3 Sentry) as part of the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) program. The film opens footage of an AWACS ceremony in Seattle, where Brigadier General Kendall Russell and Boeing Program Manager Mark Miller speak to an audience about the AWACS tests of the aircraft, known as the Brassboard program. An EC-137D taxis out of a hanger and takes off. The ship flies through the air (01:30). Lt. Col. Robert B. Mitchell speaks to the camera about testing the aircraft. Men monitor radar screens in a control room (02:14). Footage shows the plane taking off from a runway, then the control room of the 25th Air Division’s SAGE Facility at McChord Air Force Base, WA. One of the ADC’s Convair F-106 Delta Darts takes off from a runway during the tests. A member of the 25th Air Division monitors a computer (04:01). Test engineers monitor tracking screens inside one of the EC-137Ds during an in-flight test (04:35). The large aircraft taxis at a runway in Colorado Springs, CO (05:10). Viewers see a design review meeting of operational command members for the AWACS program. An EC-137D starts to taxi on the snowy runway in Colorado (07:10); then it takes off into the sunny sky, concluding the film. An airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is an airborne radar picket system designed to detect aircraft, ships and vehicles at long ranges and perform command and control of the battlespace in an air engagement by directing fighter and attack aircraft strikes. AEW&C units are also used to carry out surveillance, including over ground targets and frequently perform C2BM (command and control, battle management) functions similar to an Air Traffic Controller given military command over other forces. When used at altitude, the radar on the aircraft allows the operators to detect and track targets and distinguish between friendly and hostile aircraft much farther away than a similar ground-based radar. Like a ground-based radar, it can be detected by opposing forces, but because of its mobility, it is much less vulnerable to counter-attack. The Boeing E-3 Sentry, commonly known as AWACS, is an American airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft developed by Boeing. Derived from the Boeing 707, it provides all-weather surveillance, command, control, and communications, and is used by the United States Air Force, NATO, Royal Air Force, French Air Force, and Royal Saudi Air Force. The E-3 is distinguished by the distinctive rotating radar dome (ROTODOME) above the fuselage. Production ended in 1992 after 68 aircraft had been built. We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: "01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference." This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
