Boeing EB-707 904 Condor

This monograph is the thirteenth volume in the Aircraft with History series, published by Aviation Art & History, and provides a detailed account of the history, development, and operational employment of the Boeing EB-707 904 "Condor", the airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform operated by the Chilean Air Force (FACh).

Across 24 richly illustrated pages, this work examines the aircraft's origins, built by Boeing, its initial role as a manufacturer demonstrator, and its subsequent civilian service as a passenger and cargo transport aircraft with LAN Chile and LAN Cargo, prior to its acquisition by the FACh in 1991.

Between 1992 and 1995, the aircraft underwent a comprehensive conversion into an advanced AEW&C platform through a modernization program carried out by Elta Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Officially delivered on May 2, 1995, it received the designation EB-707 Condor, tail number 904, and was assigned to No. 10 Aviation Group, becoming Chile's primary strategic airborne surveillance asset.

During nearly three decades of operational service, the EB-707 Condor participated in joint and multinational exercises, advanced training missions, airspace control, and long-range surveillance operations, covering northern Chile, the southern airspace, Easter Island (Rapa Nui), and the Antarctic region. Throughout this period, it remained the only operational AEW&C system in South America, providing Chile with a unique technological and doctrinal advantage.

Withdrawn from active service in 2022 due to airframe aging and technological obsolescence, the Condor was replaced by Boeing E-3D Sentry aircraft, allowing the Chilean Air Force to maintain its airborne early warning, command and control capability, as well as its regional deterrence posture.

This monograph is an essential reference for aviation historians, defense analysts, and military aviation enthusiasts interested in AEW&C systems, the military use of the Boeing 707, and the evolution of Chilean air power.