In the early 1970’s, studies directed by NATO’s major military commanders showed that an airborne early warning (AEW) radar system would significantly enhance the Alliance’s air defence capability. In December 1978, the Defence Planning Committee signed a memorandum of understanding to buy and operate a NATO-owned AEW system. By this decision, the member nations embarked on NATO’s largest commonly funded acquisition program.

The NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force (NAEW&CF) was established in January 1980, and granted full NATO Command headquarters status by the DPC on 17 October 1980. Force Command Headquarters is located with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium and is commanded either by a US Air Force or German Air Force Major General on a rotational basis. The Deputy Force Commander is always a RAF Air Commodore. Force Command reports directly to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).

Today, NAEW&CF consists of two operational elements called Components:
 

• First is the multinational NATO E-3A Component at Geilenkirchen, Germany, operating 17 Boeing NATO E-3A aircraft. The NATO E-3A squadrons are manned by integrated international crews from 16 nations (Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romenia, Spain, Turkey and the United States). The E-3As have been operating from the main operating base (MOB) at Geilenkirchen, since February 1982. Forward operating bases (FOBs) are located at Trapani, Italy; Aktion, Greece; and Konya, Turkey. There is also a Forward operating location (FOL) at Ørland, Norway.

• Second is the Airborne Early Warning Squadron Number 8 of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) at Waddington (United Kingdom), with seven Boeing E-3D aircraft. The E-3D Component, is manned only by RAF personnel and its Main Operating Base is RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, U.K.

The E-3A/D normally operates at an altitude of 30,000 feet. When established at this altitude a single E-3A/D can continuously survey the airspace within a radius of more than 400 km of the aircraft and, using digital data links, exchange information with ground and sea-based commanders. Thus, an E-3A/D positioned well within friendly airspace can provide early warning information on both low-flying and high altitude aircraft operating over the territory of a potential aggressor. While the Force’s principal role is air surveillance, it can also conduct tactical battle management functions such as support and control of friendly aircraft involved in offensive and defensive counter air operations, close air support, battlefield air interdiction, combat search and rescue, reconnaissance, tactical air transport and air to air refuelling missions.

The E-3A/D’s multi-mode radar is able to separate moving targets from ground clutter by use of the Doppler principle. Consequently the E-3A/D crews are able to detect and track low-flying aircraft and they are also capable of operating in the maritime mode, which enables the radar to detect and track ships.

During the past three decades, the E-3A Component has served as NATO’s first multinational flying unit and has accomplished many milestones including: providing airborne surveillance along the Turkish-Iraqi border during the initial Gulf War in the early 1990s, assisting in the defense of the United States for eight months following the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, supporting security efforts at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Greece, transporting a combined 185 tons of relief supplies to victims of Hurricane Katrina in the USA and to victims of the earthquake in Pakistan in 2005, helping to keep the airspace over our host country safe during the 2006 World Cup football championship, and the monitoring from above of 2007 world leadership events such as the G-8 Summit in Germany, the EU-Africa Summit in Portugal in 2007, the NATO summit in Romania in 2008 and the NATO Defence Minister’s meeting in Poland in 2009.
2007 marked the 25th anniversary of the E-3A Component at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen in Germany.