US Airmen Prepare Weird $330 Million 'Spy Plane' Before Surveillance Flight

Welcome back to The Daily Aviation for a feature on some of the unique planes that have been in the US military aviation fleet for decades like the Boeing RC-135 .

Footage Credit: U.S. Air Force / U.S. Marine Corps , Derivative Work by The Daily Aviation

Voice, text and video editing belong to The Daily Aviation, any use of these content without permission is forbidden.

Don't forget to subscribe us on Facebook or Twitter.

You have a question or you would like to send us footage. Send us a message.

[Nerval-kgsm]

I love the propeller sounds of the Orions. Back in the '70s and '80s, when I was a kid, there were two squadrons of subhunters at Moffett Field NAS nearby. They used to fly over my grandparents' house.

[michaellehman]

It's worth noting that the initial aircraft seen from about 0:15 to 0:30 is not an RC-135, but instead one of the older, rarer WC-135 aircraft. Referred to as CONSTANT PHOENIX they fly in support of the Limited Test Ban Treaty, collecting samples of potential nuclear debris and gases in order to detect forbidden atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons. It is identifiable by the U-1B airfoils on each side of the fuselage which protrude through a window opening.

A mechanism whose cover is illustrated for about 5 seconds after 1:35 in the video houses special filter papers which are switched into and out of the air foil periodically. The last of a previous generation of CONSTANT PHOENIX WC-135 aircraft was retired last year as the first of three new WC-135R came into service in the middle of 2022. Operated by the 45th RC Ssqudron, these aircraft also carry a team of AFTAC SEOs (Air Force Technical Applications Center Special Special Operators) to guide the plane in search of hot clouds that may be attributable to a nuclear explosion.

[thegrinch]

I had the pleasure of being allowed on the flight deck of a C130 before, during and after an inflight refuelling and I was humbled by the cojones of the crew. Now obviously I kept shtum while it was going on and I only spoke when spoken too but the admiration was there throughout and in my mind was something that will rank in my top 5 of things that I’ve succeeded in in witnessed. Thank you RAF

[sofiasantos]

Mucha fe en dios que el los ilumina y proteje para crear aparatos para cuidar la humanidad.amen👃👃👃👃👃👃👃👃👃👃♥️👍

[frankmccann]

God bless you all 🙏❤️. 306th. Looks like you've got everything ready and kitchen sink included.

[mohawkdriver]

The U.S. army aerial reconnaissance and surveillance effort is pitiful in comparison to that of the air force. I flew army fixed wing SIGINT missions for 28 years and am embarrassed by the effort that required 4 or 5 operators jammed into a small death trap of an aircraft that was intended for the civilian corporate market.

[salvador]

Todavía ay personas que dudan de la mejor armada del mundo es la mejor en todo siempre estamos buscando las dificultades no lo que sale bien si no lo que salio mal para seguir creciendo

[samuelalfaro]

me encanta el poderío militar de USA todos profesionales y diciplinados, saludos desde Chile

[steelking]

The Boeing 707 was based on the KC-135, not the reverse as you have stated.

[davidperez]

Es increible las capacidades, el entrenamiento y la experiencia de todas y todos los elementos de la Fuerza Aerea para que todo marche y funcione coo debe ser, mis respetos a todas y todos !!! 👏😎👏😎👏👏✈🚁✈🚁👏🚁😎👏✈😎✈🙋✈😎✈👏🚁👍

[Hemeralopie]

1:09 whoever did the welds on the stairs needs training and whoever passed off the welds needs to be sagged

[levialston]

I miss those days out on the flight line

[tonysmith]

I remember my first flight on the RJ. Listening to the crew chiefs and flight deck. I heard we have fire in number 3. I thought why are we not getting off the plane then lol.

[Vermiliontea]

No. Again no. The C-135 is NOT based on the 707. A very common misconception. It's the C-137 that is based on the 707. Both the 707/C-137 and C-135 are based on a 1954 proof-of-concept project prototype by Boeing, named 367-80. That is why they share configuration, design and system features. However, they have different wings and fuselage section, so are not the same aircraft. The 707 is bigger.

[briancooper]

From 1974-76 my dad worked on the autopilot of these planes, as well as KC-135 and B-52's. G and H models. Okinawa sucked because we were at K.I. Sawyer and in 1976 moved back to K.I. Sawyer.

[nicholaspratt]

We have 3 RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft based at the Electronic Warfare Centre RAF Waddington, only 3 miles from home so we see them and others often.
Edit: How the hell did the welding pass for use at:1:09? I've seen neater pigeon sh1t!

[davewright]

Will someone look at a 1:07 look at the chicken crap welds on the loading steps can't believe they walked up that without falling down

[steelking]

To replace a USAF RC-135 is 3x the figure you state.

[morgus]

First segment, those jets are old friends!

[wallyhaskett]

I have been in the metal working industry for forty year and have never put an OK to paint on anything that looks so bad as the welds on those stairs. I wouldn't ever even walk up those stairs. The welds need to be ground out and rewelded by a real welder and then inspected for an OK to paint. How the Military gets by with this type of work is and I don't know. Makes me wonder about the welds that are inside the aircraft.