The RAF’s Sentry aircraft are a vital presence over land and sea where UK forces are operating, collecting information which is used to understand the environment and control troop activity.

Sentry at a glance

• The RAF operates six Sentry aircraft, operated by No 8 Squadron based at RAF Waddington.
• Along with Sentinel and Shadow, the aircraft forms one arm of the UK Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) triad.
• It can fly for more than 11 hours over 5,000 nautical miles – this range can be extended by air-to-air refuelling.
• Sentry usually has a crew of 18, including four flight deck crew, three technicians, and an 11-man mission crew.
• The DE&S Air ISTAR Team, part of the Air Support domain, supports the aircraft fleet to ensure it is available for operations when required.