US Scraps TE-6B Conversion of Ex-British E-3D Sentry

US scraps TE-6B conversion of ex-British E-3D Sentry

Plans to convert a former Royal Air Force E-3D Sentry into a dedicated training aircraft for the US Navy’s E-6B Mercury fleet have been scrapped, with the airframe now set for dismantling and part harvesting under a contract awarded to Northrop Grumman. The aircraft, Bureau Number 170508, was sold to the US following its retirement from RAF service and re-designated TE-6B, intended to become an In-Flight Trainer (IFT) platform to support operati…

Plan To Turn Ex-RAF E-3 AWACS Into E-6B 'Doomsday' Jet Trainer Abandoned By Navy

The U.S. Navy has quietly awarded Northrop Grumman a contract to strip useful parts from an ex-Royal Air Force (RAF) E-3D Sentry airborne early warning and control aircraft before disposing of it. The service first acquired the plane in 2021 for conversion into a dedicated training platform for the crews of its E-6B Mercury jets, which are often referred to as ‘doomsday planes‘ given their role as airborne command posts that relay launch orders …