The test flight evaluated five full-color glass displays with customizable engine, navigation and radar data along with a number of other improvements.  

Both the United States and NATO have invested in the new technology for their respective AWACS fleets. NATO’s first upgraded AWACS  passed its initial flight test with flying colors; the U.S. Air Force’s modernized AWACS will flight test in 2016.  

Updating the technology simultaneously for both NATO and the U.S. will allow for interoperability among the fleets as the U.S. and its allies increasingly work together to monitor air space around the world. Additionally, updated avionics comply with current and future air traffic control and navigation requirements, giving the aircraft broader access to airspace around the world.