Peace march goes well, even with USAF presence.
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news report 
Saturday February 01, 2003 19:39
by Tim Hourigan - Shannon Peace Camp
E-3 AWACS lands during demo.
The march was excellent. There were lots of people from all over the country, lots of banners, songs, and people power. Clare O'Grady Walshe spoke, Dennis Halliday told it like it was, and Luka Bloom sang what we all felt. But we were still witness to the problem
Today is a turning point.
World Airways, one of the main culprits in moving troops and war materials through Shannon have pulled out.
People power showed its creativity in the 5.5 mile peace walk.
And while the heavy Garda presence (horses and helicopter included) protected the US Air Force, they could not stop the cameras.
The truth is out.
A E-3 Sentry (AWACS) was at Shannon during the demo.
This is a serious aircraft, used as a flying air traffic control centre for air bombardment missions. Basically it allows the AWACs specialists in the back (military air controllers) to direct fighter squadrons to targets.
I'll get a photo of it up soon.
World is gone from Shannon.
Next we can push ATA, Evergreen,
the Air Force, the NAVY and the Marine Corp.
great to see you all there.
Tim
Comments (9 of 9)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9This links The Fedration of American Scientists site, a nonprofit organization formed by the scientists who produced the first atomic bombs. It has a wealth of information regarding U.S. Weapons Systems, as well as a descriptive listing of all U.S. aircraft. It keeps watch on all conflicts around the globe.
Scroll down on the link page for specs.
and photos of E-3 aircraft.
Please note corrected link below.
We will remember and organize protests if he ever appears in the USA again. Fortunately, it appears that his career has been over for some time now.
been around a while.
Look itīs the US spy craft!
since 1975 in fact. And the USAF arenīt the only ones to have them. The first E-3 was delivered to NATO in January 1982. The United Kingdom has seven E-3s, France has four, and Saudi Arabia has five. Japan has four 767 AWACS.
The E-3 can fly a mission profile for more than 8 hours without refueling. Its range and on-station time can be increased through inflight refueling and the use of an on-board crew rest area.
The aircraft are used by U.S. customs in Columbia as surveillance asseta in support of counter drug missions.
Some history of the peculair looking plane is as follows Engineering, test and evaluation began on the first E-3 Sentry in October 1975. In March 1977 the 552nd Airborne Warning and Control Wing (now 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.), received the first E-3s.
Most of the expensive little parts inside carry Boeing patents.
Air Combat Command has 28 E-3s at Tinker, two at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, and one at Kadena AB, Japan. Pacific Air Forces has four E-3 Sentries assigned to the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron (AACS), Kadena AB and the 962nd AACS, Elmendorf AFB.
Please note that the Japanese thus have their own AWACS and the USAF has one there too. It must be very difficult for the Koreans to know whose AWACS is over flying them.
NATO has acquired 17 E-3A's and support equipment. The first E-3 was delivered to NATO in January 1982. The United Kingdom has seven E-3s, France has four, and Saudi Arabia has five. Japan has four 767 AWACS.
Oh look you there, Saudi Arabia has five.
life must be difficult for people down there who crave discretion. How many AWACS were at Shannon?
E-3 Sentry aircraft were among the first to deploy during Operation Desert Shield where they immediately established an around-the-clock radar screen to defend against Iraqi aggression. During Desert Storm, E-3s flew more than 400 missions and logged more than 5,000 hours of on-station time. They provided radar surveillance and control to more than 120,000 coalition sorties. In addition to providing senior leadership with time-critical information on the actions of enemy forces, E-3 controllers assisted in 38 of the 40 air-to-air kills recorded during the conflict.
38 out of 40 air-to-air kills.
in a war which lasted hot time 100 hours.
These planes are not a goodwill mission to Shannon or Ireland.
The data collection capability of the E-3 radar and computer subsystems allowed an entire air war to be recorded for the first time in the history of aerial warfare. A bit out of date that, iīll be talking about star wars again this week, In March 1996, the Air Force activated the 513th Air Control Group, an AWACS Reserve Associate Program unit, which performs duties on active-duty aircraft. Yes active-duty normal looking aircraft that people donīt react to like "oh thereīs the US spyplane!"
During the spring of 1999, the first AWACS aircraft went through the Radar System Improvement Program. RSIP is a joint U.S./NATO development program that involves a major hardware and software-intensive modification to the existing radar system. Installation of RSIP will enhance the operational capability of the E-3 radar electronic counter-measures, and dramatically improve the system's reliability, maintainability and availability. U.S. installation is RSIP is scheduled for completion in fiscal 2004.
Itīs paid for now. and came online earlier this month, as a result of increased military spending in the United States of America.
would you like tech stuff?
an go on, but remember the AWACS at Shannon are new versions but in the main most of the really expensive bits arenīt in the nose with this one.
Primary Function: Airborne surveillance, command, control and communications
Builder: Boeing Aerospace Co.
Power Plant: Four Pratt and Whitney TF33-PW-100A turbofan engines
Thrust: 21,000 pounds (9,450 kilograms) each engine..............think about that.
...................wow eh?
Length: 145 feet, 6 inches (44 meters)
Wingspan: 130 feet, 10 inches (39.7 meters)
Height: 41 feet, 4 inches (12.5 meters)
Rotodome: 30 feet in diameter (9.1 meters), 6 feet thick (1.8 meters),
(thatīs the spybit)
mounted 11 feet (3.33 meters) above fuselage
Speed: Optimum cruise 360 mph (Mach 0.48)
...............mach0.48? wow eh?
Ceiling: Above 29,000 feet (8,788 meters)
.................very low.
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 347,000 pounds (156,150 kilograms)
..................lots of hamburgers.
..................lashings of pop.
Endurance: More than 8 hours (unrefueled)
..................yes Shannon refuel?
Unit Cost: $123.4 million (fiscal 98 constant dollars)
...................not as easy to buy now.
...................they plug something else.
Crew: Flight crew of four plus mission crew of 13-19 specialists
(mission crew size varies according to mission)
Date Deployed: March 1977
Inventory: Active force, 33; Reserve, 0; Guard, 0
you need three people to get one up and running.
youīd get eight hours of joyriding then youīd be in big trouble, and they probably wouldnīt hesitate to shoot you down. Whatīs 123million euros in a war which has cost 20 times the cost of providing the children of this planet with preventative vacines.
Air Command Centre.
Public Affairs Office; 115 Thompson St, Ste 211; Langley AFB, VA 23665-1987; DSN 574-5014 or (757) 764-5014;
e-mail: acc.pai@langley.af.mil
[thatīs the same virginia langley where the CIA hang out].
You'll be glad to know that after September 11th it was E-3s that patrolled the skies of Europe keeping you safe from hijacked aircraft. Or would you prefer to only talk about its offensive role?
Hijacked aircraft where they?
Did I miss a whole spate of hijacked aircraft over europe stories?
Shit did I sleep through november again
D'oh the fact the skies were being patrolled meant it wasn't even worth thinking about hijacking an aircraft, we will never know if Europe was due to have its own WTC style attacks. Or don't you care about Europe? Just Ireland?
We'll just asssume it was going to happen.
Bah bah.....
Oh and those pesky anthrax attacks AL QUEDA!!! Ophs no that was one of you guys....
Shut up hide under your bed and shit yourself, be afraid. thats the way we want you. Do what your told or the nasty terrorists will get you, don't question motives, THEY'RE EVIL THEY HATE FREEDOM, just shut up and let your constitution erode away it's for the best.
Fuck and that.
I'm tired of this america has to kick the shit out of the world for your protection.
How about you cut your defense budget by say 100%, spend that money feeding and educating the world, protecting the environment and y'know doing the stuff jesus told you to do in that bible you like thumping.
Lets make this world a decent peaceful place, and then no one is going to want to chuck anthrax in letters or have reason to fly planes into buildings or tell us half a million iraqi dead from sanctions was necessary for world security.
But hey that'd fuck up the economy which is all about the miltary industrial complex and oil.
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