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Boeing EC-135

EC-135E nicknamed "Bird of Prey" at the National Museum of the United States Air Force
Type Tracking and Telemetry Platform
Manufacturer Boeing
Retired 2000
Primary user United States Air Force
Developed from C-135 Stratolifter
Variants KC-135 Stratotanker

The Boeing EC-135 is a version of the C-135 Stratolifter, modified to operate on several different U.S. Air Force programs. The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official National Museum of the United States Air An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing building testing selling and maintaining Aircraft, Aircraft parts The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Contents

Missions

Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft

The Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft are EC-135Bs modified C-135B cargo aircraft and EC-18B (former American Airlines 707-320) passenger aircraft that provided tracking and telemetry information to support the US space program in the late 1960s and early 1970s. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A cargo aircraft (also known as freighters or freight aircraft) is an Fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods rather WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout American Airlines Inc (AA is a US -based airline and the world's Largest airline in total passenger miles transported and passenger fleet size WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

During the early 1960s, NASA and the Department of Defense (DoD) needed a very mobile tracking and telemetry platform to support the Apollo space program and other unmanned space flight operations. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program The United States Department of Defense ( DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government In a joint project, NASA and the DoD contracted with the McDonnell Douglas and the Bendix Corporations to modify eight Boeing C-135 Stratolifter cargo aircraft into Apollo / Range Instrumentation Aircraft (A/RIA). McDonnell Douglas was a major American Aerospace manufacturer and Defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60 year existence made brake systems aeronautical hydraulics The Boeing Company is a major Aerospace and defense corporation originally founded by William E Equipped with a steerable seven-foot antenna dish in its distinctive "Droop Snoot" or "Snoopy Nose", the EC-135N A/RIA became operational in January 1968, and was often known as the Jimmy Durante of the Air Force. The parabolic antenna is a high-gain reflector antenna used for radio television and data communications and also for radiolocation ( RADAR) on the UHF and The Air Force Eastern Test Range at Patrick AFB, Florida, maintained and operated the A/RIA until the end of the Apollo program in 1972, when the USAF renamed it the Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft (ARIA). Patrick Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida

Transferred to the 4950th Test Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, in December 1975 as part of an overall consolidation of large test and evaluation aircraft, the ARIA fleet underwent numerous conversions - including a re-engining that changed the EC-135N to the EC-135E. The 4950th Test Wing a wing of the United States Air Force, was established in March 1971 Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Greene and Montgomery counties eight miles (13 km) northeast of In 1994, the ARIA fleet relocated to Edwards AFB, California, as part of the 412th Test Wing. Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County California in the Antelope However, taskings for the ARIA dwindled because of high costs and improved satellite technology, and the USAF transferred the aircraft to other programs such as J-STARS.

On November 3, 2000, a flight crew from the Air Force Flight Test Center delivered the last EC-135E, (serial number 60-374 - nicknamed "The Bird of Prey"), with full Prime Mission Electronic Equipment (PMEE), to the National Museum of the United States Air Force, at Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio. Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. This is a list of Aviation -related events from 2000: Events January January 30 - Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashes List of terms Acronyms information related to modern armour artillery infantry weapons and related military subject matter The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official National Museum of the United States Air Dayton is a city in southwestern Ohio, United States. It is the County seat and largest city of Montgomery County. Over its thirty-two year career, the ARIA supported the United States space program, gathered telemetry, verified international treaties, and supported cruise missile, ballistic missile defense tests, and the Space Shuttle. A cruise missile is a guided Missile that carries an explosive payload and uses a lifting wing and a propulsion system usually a Jet engine, to allow A ballistic missile is a Missile that follows a Sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering a warhead to a predetermined target NASA 's Space Shuttle, officially called the Space Transportation System ( STS) is the Spacecraft currently used by the United States [1]

Looking Glass

"Operation Looking Glass" provided at least 11 EC-135C command post aircraft to the Commander in Chief Strategic Air Command (CINCSAC), which were either based at its headquarters at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, or at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. The Strategic Air Command (SAC was both a major command and a "specified command" in the U Nebraska ( is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base near Rapid City in Meade County, South Dakota, United States. South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. All aircraft have been retired or repurposed.

The U.S. nuclear strategy depends on its ability to command, control, and communicate with its nuclear forces under all conditions. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. An essential element of that ability is Looking Glass; its crew and staff ensure there is always an aircraft ready to direct bombers and missiles from the air should ground-based command centers be destroyed or rendered inoperable. Looking Glass is intended to guarantee that U. S. strategic forces will act only in the manner dictated by the President. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by It took the nickname "Looking Glass" because the mission mirrored ground-based command, control, and communications. Besides being the program name, "Looking Glass" is the official name for the "C" model aircraft of the EC-135. It has a crew of at least 15, including at least one or more general officer.

The Strategic Air Command began the Looking Glass mission on February 3, 1961. The Strategic Air Command (SAC was both a major command and a "specified command" in the U Looking Glass aircraft were continuously airborne 24 hours a day for over 29 years, accumulating more than 281,000 accident-free flying hours. On July 24, 1990, "The Glass" ceased continuous airborne alert, but remained on ground or airborne alert 24 hours a day.

On June 1, 1992, SAC was deactivated and replaced by USSTRATCOM, which now controls the Looking Glass. The Strategic Air Command (SAC was both a major command and a "specified command" in the U United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM is one of the ten Unified Combatant Commands of the U [2][3] On October 1, 1998, the Navy's E-6 Mercury TACAMO replaced the USAF's EC-135C in the Looking Glass mission. The Boeing E-6 Mercury is an American military Aircraft. It operates as an airborne command post and communications center relaying instructions TACAMO is a US military term meaning "Take Charge and Move Out"

Silk Purse

Operation Silk Purse program provided four EC-135H command post aircraft to the Commander in Chief U. S. Europe (USCINCEUR), which were based at RAF Mildenhall. RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force (RAF station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. All four aircraft were subsequently retired.

Scope Light

Operation Scope Light provided five EC-135J/P command post aircraft to the Commander in Chief Atlantic Forces (CINCLANT), which were based at Langley AFB, VA. All five aircraft were subsequently retired.

Blue Eagle

Operation Blue Eagle provided five EC-135J/P command post aircraft to the United States Commander in Chief Pacific Forces (USCINCPAC), which were based at Hickam AFB, HI. All five aircraft were subsequently retired.

Nightwatch

Operation Nightwatch provided three EC-135J command post aircraft to the President of the United States which were based at Andrews AFB, MD. All three aircraft were transferred to other ABNCP missions.

Nightwatch was initiated in the mid-1960s utilizing the three EC-135J aircraft, modified from KC-135Bs, as command post aircraft. The three Nightwatch aircraft were ready to fly the President and the National Command Authority (NCA) out of Washington in the event of a nuclear attack. The E-4 aircraft (Boeing 747-200) came on line with the Nightwatch program in 1974 replacing the EC-135's on this mission. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout [4]

Variant summary

References

  1. ^ This section uses public domain text from the National Museum of the United States Air Force. http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/outdoor/od30.htm
  2. ^ http://www.stratcom.mil/fact_sheets/fact_acp.html E-6B Airborne Command Post (ABNCP)
  3. ^ FAS WMD page
  4. ^ C-135 Variants - Part 5 by Jennings Heilig
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