Turkey has purchased four AWACS (E-7T Peace Eagle) aircraft for early warning missions. Peace Eagle Project incorporates C4ISR solutions. Peace Eagle system is the command control centre in the skies. It performs activities such as air operations management, decision making, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technologies.

Boeing's 737 passenger plane has been converted for AWACS use. The significant modification was the addition of a radar antenna on the top of the aircraft. Turkish Aerospace was involved in the modification procedure. HAVELSAN takes part in the Project by transferring command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems experiences to develop mission system software in the airborne segment and design, develop, and deliver the ground support segment. HAVELSAN integrated Communication Control Interface, ESM Control Interface, Mission Navigation and Avionics control interfaces, Weapons Management, Processing formatted messages such as ATO / ACO into the AEW&C system for the Mission Computing Subsystem (MCS).

The technology was first made available about eight years ago. While the AWACS aircraft performs early warning missions in and around Turkey, the air forces have begun feasibility studies to procure next-generation aircraft with indigenous technologies.

In reality, the AWACS is a flying radar system. Because the Earth is spherical, the horizon is the limit for practical radar usage. However, radar in the air can reach greater distances, known as Line of Sight (LoS). The farther the LoS reaches, the earlier the radar warns of a potential threat.

Turkey is currently working on AESA Radar, which provides to track many aerial and ground targets simultaneously.

A MESA radar produced by the US company Northrop Grumman is used in E-7T Peace Eagle aircraft. This MESA radar, which provides 360 degrees scanning, can be used operationally in all weather conditions. It has a range of more than 400 km at an altitude of 10,000 meters. E-7Ts can theoretically detect 1500 targets simultaneously.

Technical Specifications of Peace Eagle:

Detection with Radar System with 200+ nmi radius capability, Track identification with 300 nmi radius IFF system, Electronic intelligence and identification with Electronic Support Measures (ESM) system, Real-time communication with HF, V/UHF, UHF, SATCOM Radios and Link-11, Link-16/IJMS Tactical Data Links, Creating a joint aerial image by combining the information received from the cross told data via the tactical data links and fusing onboard sensor data from the Radar / IFF and ESM tracks.

AEW&C aircraft consists of the following sub-systems:

Radar / IFF, Electronic Support Measures (ESM), Communication and Data Link (CDL), Mission Navigation, Mission Avionics, Mission Computer,