HANSCOM AFB - The Air Force and NATO are undergoing a cooperative development effort, known as the DRAGON program, to upgrade the cockpits of their E-3 Sentry (AWACS) aircraft.
DRAGON, which stands for Diminishing Manufacturing Sources Replacement of Avionics for Global Operations and Navigation, will address aging flight deck avionics on USAF and NATO E-3 AWACS aircraft.
The flight deck modernization will include replacing most analog indicators with modern digital multicolor graphic displays. In addition, nearly all of the 1970's avionics are being replaced with updated airspace-compliant subsystems. The modernization will also allow for elimination of the navigator, dropping the crew size from four to three, as well as adding a Mode-5 IFF.
Engines, airframe and mission systems will remain the same.