ROME - A rather large, but important aircraft, is at Griffiss Air Force base until the end of the week.

The 552nd Air Control Wing of the United States Air Force, brought its radar aircraft to share information with the Eastern Air Defense Sector, which is at Griffiss.

The E-3 entry or converted Boeing 707, is used by the United States Air Force as a large radar in the sky to help monitor where ground radar can not see.

The 30 foot wide by 6 foot high radar is the key component to this aircraft. It provides weather surveillance, the command control and communications necessary for the U.S., NATO, and other allies of Air Defense Forces.

The air radar does the same job the ground radar does, but at 30,000 feet.

"It's basically a surveillance platform where we use it as radar coverage to ID possible threats and use it to control fighter air craft," said John Isacca, an E-3 Sentry. "So if it fighter aircraft have to identify enemy aircraft we can identify those and handle as necessary."

The aircraft is just one of 28 the air force uses. This particular one will remain here at Griffiss until Friday, before it flies back to it's home Air Force Base in Oklahoma City.