The E-3D Sentry, known by Royal Air Force service designation as the AEW1, is based on the commercial Boeing 707-320B aircraft, which has been extensively modified and updated to accommodate modern mission systems. Mission endurance is approximately eleven hours (over 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi)), although this can be extended by air-to-air refuelling.

The E-3D is the only aircraft in the RAF’s inventory capable of air-to-air refuelling by both the American 'flying-boom' system, and the RAF’s 'probe-and-drogue' method.

The Sentry’s roles include air and sea surveillance, airborne command and control, weapons control, and it can also operate as an extensive communications platform.

The RAF operates seven E-3D Sentry aircraft in the airborne surveillance and command-and-control role. The aircraft are based at RAF Waddington, where they are operated by Numbers 8 and 23 Squadrons, as the United Kingdom's contribution to the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force.

The E-3D also forms one arm of the United Kingdom Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) triad of Sentinel R1, E-3D AEW1, and Nimrod R1 aircraft. Whilst primarily procured as an airborne early warning aircraft, the E- 3D has been extensively employed in the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) role.

• Organisation: Royal Air Force (RAF)
• Object name: WAD-11-0735-007-OUT-UNC
• Category: Ministry of Defence (MOD)
• Supplemental categories: Equipment, Aircraft, ISTAR, Sentry
• Keywords: RAF, 8 Sqn, E-3D Sentry, E-3D, Royal Air Force, equipment, aircraft, surveillance, Sentry, E3D, E3-D, AWACS, radar, AEW, air early warning, ISTAR, landing, runway
• Country: United Kingdom