Analysts: Iran Hit American ‘Third Eye,’ US Surveillance Worsens

By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies

Analysts warned that Iran’s strike on a Saudi airbase, which destroyed a US Air Force E-3 Sentry, weakened America’s long-range ability to detect Iranian threats.

Dramatic images of the wrecked aircraft, geolocated by CNN, show its tail broken off and its distinct rotating radar dome –– a critical part of the airborne warning and control system, or AWACS –– on the ground at the Prince Sultan Air Base.

The loss of the AWACS is “a serious blow to US surveillance capabilities,” said CNN analyst Cedric Leighton, warning it could also affect the US ability to control and protect combat aircraft.

CNN has reached out to US Central Command for comment on the destruction of the aircraft.

The AWACS monitors up to 120,000 square miles from ground to stratosphere and has been a key US asset for decades, with its 17‑aircraft fleet giving Washington a major strategic edge, analysts say.

Images of the destroyed aircraft surfaced on social media over the weekend, and CNN confirmed the location in central Saudi Arabia by matching them to a March 11 satellite photo showing the E-3 at the same spot.

CNN had previously reported that an attack on the air base left at least 10 US service members injured. No fatalities were reported. A US Air Force tanker aircraft was also damaged, sources said.

The E-3 AWACS is a powerful airborne command and surveillance platform, tracking up to 600 targets—from aircraft and missiles to drones and tanks—and relaying real-time data to commanders, ships, or the Pentagon, while directing fighters and attack aircraft to engage threats.

A report from the Center for a New American Security calls the AWACS the “quarterback” of the battlefield, providing real-time coordination and situational awareness, and calls it “an indispensable asset” for US operations.

Peter Layton, a former RAAF officer, said airborne radars “exponentially increase the detection time of threats,” letting an E-3 spot Iranian drones far sooner than ground radar, while its mobility makes it harder to target.

Analysts questioned how the US let the E-3 become vulnerable. Leighton said the aircraft normally receives fighter escorts and avoids hostile airspace, calling its loss on the ground “a serious breach of our Force Protection efforts,” and suggested Iran may have had help, possibly from Russia, with targeting.

Kelly Grieco of the Stimson Center said the attack shows Iran is targeting limited high-value assets. She noted its strikes on radars, satellite links, tankers, and AWACS reflect a “counter-air campaign…adapted to what Iran can actually do. And the damage is real.”

Analysts noted the US E-3 fleet is limited and aging, with only 17 jets—fewer than B‑2 bombers—and the first aircraft dating back to 1978. Despite efforts to find replacements, the planes remain critical, and Grieco said they “direct the battle” while facing intense operational strain in the Middle East.

The E-2 Hawkeye, used by the Navy, is no easy substitute: smaller crew and lower altitude limit its radar coverage, leaving the Sentry’s unique capabilities unmatched.