737 AEWC / RAAF

B737 AEWC airplane model RAAF. The official name of the 737 AEWC is: 737-700 Airborne Early Warning & Control E7A, Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array RADAR Antenna. The aircraft uses the Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar. The radar is located on a dorsal fin on top of the fuselage, dubbed the "top hat", and is designed for minimal aerodynamic effect. The radar is capable of simultaneous air and sea search, fighter control and area search. Other modifications include ventral fins to counterbalance the radar and countermeasures mounted on the nose, wingtips and tail. The cabin features eight operator consoles with sufficient space for four more, the Australian fleet will operate ten consoles with space for two more. Northrop Grumman's Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar used on the 737 platform also formed the basis for the same company's Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) which was developed for the U.S. Air Force's E-10 AWACS aircraft. Scale: 1/100. Wingspan 14 inches, Length 13 inches.