Originally Posted by
GlobalNav
Considering the Air Force's recent lack of enthusiasm for the E-7, I hope they can pull E-3 replacements from the boneyard, or build their own E-2D.
I seem to recall that the basis for canceling the E-7 program, which was stated by those favoring cancelation, was that space systems will provide (or already are providing) the capability. Plus, airborne platforms have become too vulnerable, they also said.
I might be recalling this in the presumably different context of (iirc) GMTI, Ground Moving Target Identification capability.
The point isn't that the E-3 turned out to be, uh, vulnerable indeed. The previous discussion as I recall it was focused on lack of stealth characteristics.
In any event, if the Warning and Control System capabilities provided by the E-3 AWACS aircraft can actually be provided instead by space systems, one has to wonder to what degree are such space-based capabilities classified? In other words, losing an E-3's capacity might not be so significant but the reason why not isn't available in the public domain.