The Boeing E3-A "Sentry," with its unmistakable silhouette, is the quintessential AWACS aircraft (AWACS = Airborne Warning And Control System - airborne early warning and control post). Since the late 1970s, this machine, with its distinctive radome on the back, has served as a high-performance reconnaissance aircraft and flying command center. Major events, such as football matches, are monitored from an altitude of 12,000 meters during times of heightened terrorist threat. Bernd and Frank Vetter cover all important topics from development to deployment, rounding it off with technical details and unique photographs.