Destruction of vital US radar aircraft could hamper ability to spot Iran threats

[vanessa_ca]

2. Down to 17. 16 now. If the 2026 World Air Forces directory is correct.

The service had 31 E-3s in active use at the start of this decade, but conducted a significant retirement activity which meant that only 17 of the adapted 707s were in its inventory at the time of the strike in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the first of two 737NGs slated for conversion into the E-7A Wedgetail configuration as prototypes for the USAF recently arrived in Birmingham, England. While it has previously outlined a potentially 26-unit acquisition, Washington has yet to fully commit to the project.

Notably, secretary of war Pete Hegseth has described crewed AEW&C platforms as “not survivable in the modern battlefield”, and instead favours a future satellite-based air surveillance capability.

https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/2026/03/us-air-force-e-3g-awacs-destroyed-on-ground-during-iranian-strike-in-saudi-arabia/