Why the carrier-based AEWA does not enter jet era

[Bager1968]

This was the impetus and reasoning behind the common Support Aircraft program. The plan was to replace AEW, EA, ES, EW, IFR, COD, ASW, ASUW, etc with a common airframe that supported all the various rolls with little customization.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Support_Aircraft

IMHO, The Viking is too small for the radar dish and would have to give up to much internal fuel space to put all the radar gear.

Maybe if they went with a stretched version and the triangular AESA seen on some V-22 AEW designs?

Given today's compact computers it's possible. Given the power requirements of AESA it might need new engines or an APU though.

Length/wingspan/wing area/max TO weight (metres/sq metres/kg)
E-2: 17.5/28/65/26100
S-3: 16.3/21/55.6/23800

Not very much difference except in wing size. The S-3 has internal weapons bays & as built, has sensors which would not be needed in the AEW role. That provides internal space which could be used for AEW radar equipment. The main drawback is the lack of space for on-board radar operators, which could be overcome by using it as a plain airborne radar for the fleet, transmitting its radar data to a ship.

Smaller aircraft than S-3 have been successfully equipped & operated for AEW. Look at what Erieye has been fitted to.

The main S-3 AEW proposal DID have a triangular array:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/foru...p?topic=5696.0


Then there was the Greyhound 21 proposal for the CSA:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/foru...hp?topic=662.0

"Fitted with turbofan engines in place of the Allison T56 turboprops, it could be used for anti-submarine/anti-surface vessel warfare, electronic surveillance, carrier onboard delivery and aerial refuelling missions. In the COD rold, the Greyhound 21 will be able to airlift a 4536 kg (10,000 lb) cargo payload; for other roles, the hold area will contain specialised mission equipment and system operators."

[Distiller]

Heard the Viking was somewhat of a support nightmare (esp on the electrical/electronical side); could have also been a factor why NavAir wasn't overenthusiastic to develop a AEW version from it.