Verified Photos Reveal US Radar Aircraft Destroyed at Saudi Base

Photographic evidence confirms the destruction of a US command and control jet at a Saudi airfield. The images, shared by a Facebook page specializing in military updates, depict the E-3 Sentry aircraft seemingly split in two. The BBC has verified the location as Prince Sultan air base, situated approximately 100km (62 miles) south-east of Riyadh, the Saudi capital.

Features in the photos, such as pylons, storage units, and markings on paved surfaces, align with satellite imagery. However, US Central Command has not yet issued a public statement on the incident. The BBC is seeking clarification from the military authority. An Iranian attack on the base, reported by a US official on Friday, resulted in 12 personnel injured, two of whom were critically hurt. The Wall Street Journal added that at least two US refuelling planes were also affected.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated Fars news agency claimed a Shahed drone targeted the E-3 aircraft. BBC Verify has examined satellite images from March 11, which show an E-3 in the same area. While the tail number in one photo matches flight data from Flightradar24, indicating the aircraft was airborne near the base on March 18, it remains unclear if this is the same plane.

A satellite image taken on Friday displays a fire on the air base apron, roughly 1,600m (5,200ft) east of the E-3. Whether this fire was linked to the earlier damage is still uncertain. The E-3 Awacs, or Airborne Warning and Control System, is a Boeing 707-based aircraft with a rotating radar dish on its fuselage. This radar enables long-range detection of targets, offering early threat warnings during combat.

Technical Overview of the E-3 Awacs

The E-3 Awacs serves as a vital asset for air commanders, providing real-time control of aerial battles. According to the USAF website:

“It gives ‘information for commanders of air operations to gain and maintain control of the air battle’.”

The aircraft first entered service in 1977 and is projected to remain in active use with the US military until 2035.