Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint

Summary

Description

The Boeing RC-135 family originated from the United States Air Force's requirement for advanced reconnaissance aircraft, replacing the Boeing RB-50 Superfortress starting in 1962. Based on the C-135 Stratolifter airframe and manufactured by Boeing, these aircraft underwent extensive modifications by various companies including General Dynamics, Lockheed, LTV, E-Systems, and L3Harris Technologies to integrate specialized intelligence-gathering equipment. The initial challenge involved adapting the KC-135A tanker platform for surveillance roles, leading to variants such as the RC-135A, RC-135D, and RC-135S, each designed for specific mission objectives. The first RC-135A variant was ordered in 1962. Subsequently, the RC-135B variant was fitted with Pratt & Whitney TF33 turbofan engines, a departure from the J57 turbojets utilized in preceding models. These aircraft were delivered to Martin Aircraft for the installation of mission electronics, ultimately being designated as RC-135Cs by 1967.

Based on the C-135 Stratolifter airframe, the RC-135 family incorporates specialized design features for reconnaissance missions. Early RC-135A variants, while sharing similarities with KC-135A tankers, carried cameras in a bay aft of the nose wheel well. RC-135B and later models were equipped with Pratt & Whitney TF33 turbofans. A significant upgrade implemented in 2005 involved re-engining the fleet with CFM International CFM-56 (F108) engines, standard on KC-135R and T Stratotankers. The Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) transitioned the flight deck to a digital glass cockpit, enhancing instrumentation and navigation systems. Key specialized equipment includes the AN/ASD-1 electronic intelligence (ELINT) system, identifiable by large 'cheek' pods on the forward fuselage, and various antenna arrays for signal collection. Variants such as the RC-135S Cobra Ball feature electro-optical instruments and tracking radar designed for observing ballistic missile flights.

The RC-135 is designed solely for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering and carries no offensive armament systems. Its payload is entirely dedicated to housing sophisticated sensors, communication systems, and electronic warfare equipment essential for its mission. Payload capacity is determined by variant and specific mission demands, accommodating the necessary equipment and personnel for intelligence collection, analysis, and dissemination functions.

The operational history of the current RC-135 fleet reflects a continuous modification process dating back to the early 1960s. Initially operated by Strategic Air Command for reconnaissance purposes, the RC-135 has supported military operations across numerous conflicts involving U.S. forces. This includes deployments during the Vietnam War, Operation El Dorado Canyon in the Mediterranean, Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada, Operation Just Cause in Panama, Operations Deliberate Force and Allied Force in the Balkans, and Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom in Southwest Asia. Since the early 1990s, RC-135 aircraft have maintained a sustained presence in Southwest Asia. During the Cold War, they conducted reconnaissance missions near the borders of the USSR and its client states globally. Originally under Strategic Air Command, responsibility shifted to Air Combat Command in 1992, with aircraft permanently based at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, operated by the 55th Wing, utilizing worldwide forward operating locations. In March 2010, the British Ministry of Defence announced the acquisition of three RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft to replace the Nimrod R1, with the first delivery to the Royal Air Force in September 2013. U.S. Air Force and Royal Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft were deployed for reconnaissance missions around Poland and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad during the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine.

Main Variants:

• RC-135A: Initial photo mapping platform used briefly by the Air Photographic & Charting Service before conversion to tankers.

• RC-135B: As-delivered aircraft without mission equipment, modified into the RC-135C by Martin Aircraft.

• RC-135C Big Team: Modified RC-135B aircraft featuring the AN/ASD-1 electronic intelligence system characterized by forward fuselage 'cheek' pods.

• RC-135D Office Boy / Rivet Brass: Early reconnaissance-configured C-135s with the "R" MDS prefix, tasked with missions along the northern Soviet Union border.

• RC-135S Cobra Ball: A measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) collector equipped with specialized electro-optical instruments for observing long-range ballistic missile flights.

Technical specifications

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	United States	25
	United Kingdom	3

Numbers in parentheses, e.g. '(+5)', indicate units ordered but not yet delivered.

All operators

United Kingdom • United States