Incident at Prince Sultan Air Base
A US E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft was reportedly destroyed in Iranian missile and drone strikes at the Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia on March 27, 2026. Multiple media outlets reported the incident, though Washington has not made a public statement regarding it.
The Fars News Agency, reportedly linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), claimed on social media that the IRGC destroyed a US Army E-3 AWACS.
Damage Assessment and Official Silence
According to US and Arab officials, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, an American E-3 Sentry was among several aircraft damaged at the Prince Sultan air base. The base sustained hits from an Iranian missile and drone attack, resulting in injuries to 12 service members and damage to US refueling airplanes.
The air base, located approximately 96 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Riyadh, is operated by the Saudi air force but also utilized by US forces, Al Jazeera noted.
US Central Command has not publicly commented on the incident, per a BBC report. The Saudi Ministry of Defence stated on Friday that it intercepted drones and missiles launched from Iran towards Riyadh, but did not comment on the attack specifically on the air base.
Expert Analysis
Military affairs expert Zhang Junshe told the Global Times that Iran's capacity to precisely locate and strike a time-sensitive target like an aircraft on the ground demonstrates an efficient intelligence-to-strike chain. Zhang suggested Iran possesses strong real-time surveillance, early warning, and target acquisition capabilities, likely achieved through layered intelligence collection, including satellite imagery, airborne platforms, and potentially human intelligence.
Images from various media outlets, including the BBC and Fars News Agency, showed significant damage to the E-3 Sentry, including a structural break in the mid-to-rear section with the tail separated from the fuselage. Zhang indicated this level of damage suggests a total loss, implying high precision in the strike and advanced terminal guidance capabilities of the weapons used.
Heather Penney, a former F-16 pilot and director at AFA's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, highlighted the critical role of E-3 aircraft in battle management, airspace deconfliction, and targeting.
Zhang also noted that Iran's ability to execute such a strike after weeks of sustained air attacks suggests considerable operational resilience, indicating that the conflict has not progressed as some in Washington and Tel Aviv might have expected.