Iranian attack on Saudi air base heavily damages key US surveillance aircraft
The Times of Israel • • world
Key Points:
- An American Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft was heavily damaged in an Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, causing injuries to 12 US service members and damaging other planes.
- The E-3 Sentry fleet, critical for airborne early warning and control, was already reduced to 16 operational planes before the attack, with no immediate replacements available; its projected successor, the E-7 Wedgetail, is estimated to cost $700 million.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of providing Iran with satellite intelligence on the airbase prior to the attack, based on images taken by Russian satellites on multiple occasions, suggesting planned targeting.
- The airbase had been previously targeted by Iran in mid-March, damaging several US refueling planes, while former US President Donald Trump downplayed the significance of Russia potentially sharing intelligence with Iran to target US forces.
