Airmen who have flown, operated, and maintained the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft over the last 30 years gathered at Tinker AFB, Okla., this weekend, along with a host of distinguished officials, to celebrate the milestone. Air Combat Command boss, Gen. Ronald Keys recalled that AWACS initially would just “point the fighters in the right direction; now it can do so much more.” He called it a “gateway” to process information, ultimately sent to the larger force. A release from the 552nd Air Control Wing highlights the events, including a memorial ceremony honoring the airmen who died on the sole E-3 crash in the AWACS 30-year history.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
