Strange Plane

[User]

 

[green1]

It's an E-3 Sentry Airborne Early Warning and Control (AWACS) aircraft. The dome is a big radar. Basically its the eyes in the sky plane. It can track 100's of targets both in the air and on the ground at 200+ miles depending on it's altitude and the targets profile.

 

[deanE]

The “Eyeballs in the Sky”!

 

[Beebo]

[QUOTE 2180232, member: 9609"] Does anyone know exactly what it's doing?
[/quote]
They're coming for you Reiver, the matrix is closing in, you better head for the hills with your tin foil hat on.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Oooh, AWACS!!

They are converted '707s by the way.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

It appears there are various versions.....:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK--...2136947/&sid=d8c8f0092f6e628f25923c8ccc0dfc05

url]http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK--...2185415/&sid=9c1349ac038c774e18c00d7323cfc5dd[/url]

With 'pods' (any idea what they are?):

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Luxe...2187424/&sid=7cc17ec199b608ece6449d8a91f127ba

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Luxe...2174215/&sid=4a216ba5b62cbb4ef964f271315634aa

 

[Rezillo]

Another plane query - anyone know what this is? It was circling round Lands End this summer. I thought it was just a brightly coloured exec jet at first but it seemed to have some ordnance beneath its wings.

Sorry it is so blurred - full zoom and moving fast.

 

[green1]

It appears some have the 'pods' on the sides and some don't:

Depends what mark it is. NATO ones do (only aircraft NATO operate btw) RAF ones don't.

 

[green1]

Another plane query - anyone know what this is? It was circling round Lands End this summer. I thought it was just a brightly coloured exec jet at first but it seemed to have some ordnance beneath its wings.

Sorry it is so blurred - full zoom and moving fast.

That's a Sentinel surveillance aircraft.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

(only aircraft NATO operate btw) RAF ones don't.

'Only operate'?

 

[Rezillo]

That's a Sentinel surveillance aircraft.

It looks similar to a Sentinel, apart from the odd colour scheme, but the tailplane is halfway down the fin rather than near the top. There was also no pod beneath the fuselage. Is this a variant from another country?

 

[neil earley]

Things they do to catch you speeding !! lol beware xmas is coming and the funds for the policemans ball are low.

 

[green1]

'Only operate'?

Bought by NATO members (not Britain, France who both operate theirs independently of NATO), technically they belong Luxembourg as aircraft must be registered in a country. Luxembourg was a good fit as they don't have an airforce.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

It looks similar to a Sentinel, apart from the odd colour scheme, but the tailplane is halfway down the fin rather than near the top. There was also no pod beneath the fuselage. Is this a variant from another country?

Yeah I can't find a picture of the black version.

And for the stabiliser...... yep, its further down in your picture:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK--...2176133/&sid=2e9dd800885601d130a5b0aa437d65aa

 

[green1]

It looks similar to a Sentinel, apart from the odd colour scheme, but the tailplane is halfway down the fin rather than near the top. There was also no pod beneath the fuselage. Is this a variant from another country?

Scrap that it looks like it's a Dominie. Although the RAF retired them last year.