Boeing to upgrade fleet of Japanese E-767 surveillance aircraft

The U.S. aerospace giant Boeing will upgrade the fleet of Japan Air Self-Defense Force E-767 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft.

Boeing announced on its Twitter account that the first E-767 aircraft of the Japan Airborne Warning and Control System fleet has landed in San Antonio.

“We’ll be upgrading the fleet [of E-767 aircraft] to help it monitor and communicate for years to come,” said on Twitter.

Currently, the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) operated the fleet of four Boeing-built 767 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. The aircraft are based in Hamamatsu, Japan.

The aircraft were delivered by Boeing between 1998 and 1999. In meeting JASDF requirements, the aircraft underwent rigorous testing of their navigation, communication and radar systems.

The base airframe for E-767 is that of a 767-200ER, Boeing designation 767-27C. The 767 airframe offers about 50 percent more floor space and nearly twice the volume of the 707 on which the E-3 is based. The mission electronics equipment are installed in forward cabin to balance the weight with the rotodome mounted above the aft fuselage. The aft cabin contains the crew’s rest area, galley, and lavatory.

The E-767 aircraft monitors airspace to provide threat detection of adversary aircraft and situational awareness on friendly assets. Information gathered by the radar is processed by the mission crew and disseminated via a variety of data links and communication systems.

Surveillance aircraft also has the capability to detect ships, relaying information to maritime aircraft or allied vessels for further investigation. Its electronic support measures equipment enables to gather emissions from other radar systems and emitters, enhancing the crew’s understanding of the environment in which it is operating.