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By Yang Won-mo, The Public — Iran carried out a precision strike on a U.S. military facility in Saudi Arabia, destroying an E-3 Sentry airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft. U.S. officials and media say this is the first time a core U.S. airborne surveillance asset has been lost in combat.
On March 28 (local time), Tasnim News Agency and other Iranian outlets reported that Iran struck Prince Sultan Air Base, where U.S. forces are stationed. The attack reportedly wounded about 10 U.S. personnel and destroyed an E-3 Sentry that had been deployed at the base. U.S. media confirmed the aircraft’s destruction and noted there is no prior precedent for an AWACS being lost to an attack.
The E-3 Sentry carries a large rotating radar dome used to detect aircraft and missiles and functions as an airborne command-and-control node that integrates battlefield situational awareness. It performs both surveillance and battle management roles and is considered a strategic, theater-level asset. Experts say it is highly unusual for such a platform to be struck and lost while on the ground at a base.
The strike stands apart from previous engagements because it directly targeted a U.S. base. Prince Sultan is a major hub for U.S. Air Force operations in the Middle East, concentrating surveillance, reconnaissance and air-operation support. Analysts warn that the loss of an AWACS there will degrade air-domain awareness and command-and-control capabilities to some extent.
Iran’s military actions have spread to other locations. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it attacked a drone-defense facility in Dubai on the same day, a site it linked to Ukrainian personnel. Iran suggested as many as 21 Ukrainian experts at the facility may have been killed; the Ukrainian government denied the claim.
The Dubai strike coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Gulf tour. During a visit to the UAE, Zelenskyy met with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan to discuss drone-focused defense cooperation. He is also visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE to press for long-term defense agreements.
Tehran has long accused Kyiv of transferring drone technology to Gulf states. Observers say the strikes combined a military response with a political signal aimed at those alleged transfers.
