Overview
- An Iranian missile-and-drone barrage that struck Prince Sultan Air Base on Friday wounded roughly 10 to 12 U.S. service members and damaged a U.S. E-3 Sentry radar jet and several KC-135 refueling planes.
- Photos circulating on OSINT channels show E-3 tail 81-0005 with its rear fuselage burned out, with Iran’s IRGC claiming a Shahed-136 drone did the damage and U.S. Central Command declining public comment.
- Analysts warn the loss, if confirmed, would strain a fleet of about 16 E-3s that only about half can fly at any given time, creating short-term gaps in surveillance and battle management.
- Experts describe the strike as part of an Iranian effort to hit the enablers of U.S. airpower by targeting radars, communications sites, tankers, and AWACS to blunt U.S. reach.
- Six E-3s were reportedly forward-based at the Saudi hub before the attack, which has renewed calls to speed E-7 Wedgetail purchases and to harden shelters, though those fixes are not yet available at scale.