The importance of replacing the E-3 was previously highlighted by commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces General Kenneth Wilsbach, who noted in March 2022 shortly after confirmation of the first encounter with Chinese J-20 stealth fighters: “our early warning aircraft could not see the J-20… Those sensors that we rely on on the E-3 aren’t really capable in the twenty-first century especially against a [stealth] platform like the J-20 or something similar to that. It just can’t see those platforms far enough out to be able to provide an advantage to the shooters.” “That’s why I would like to have the E-7,” he added. Mounting maintenance issues have often left the Air Force with no AWACS support in key regions such as the Pacific, while limiting coverage for the defence of the U.S. mainland itself. Nevertheless, Iran’s lack of modern fighter aircraft, or of stealth aircraft beyond limited attack and reconnaissance drone fleets, means that the E-3 may still remain viable.