County of display: Montgomery County
Location of display: 1100 Spaatz Street, entrance to museum, Wright-Patterson AFB
Marker text:
BOEING EC-135E ARIA
During the 1960s, NASA and the Department of Defense needed a mobile tracking and telemetry platform to support the Apollo space program and other unmanned space flight operations. In a joint project, NASA and the DoD contracted with the McDonnell Douglas and Bendix Corporations to modify 8 Boeing EC-135 Stratolifter cargo aircraft into Apollo/Range instrumental aircraft. Equipped with a steerable seven-foot antenna dish in its distinctive "Droop snoot" or "Snoopy Nose", the EC-135N ARIA became operational in January 1968. The Air Force Eastern text 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 Advance Range Instrumentation Aircraft.
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. In 1994 the ARIA fleet relocated to Edwards AFB, California, as part of the 412th Test Wing; however, taskings for the ARIA dwindled because of high cost and improved satellite technology, and the USAF transferred the aircraft to other programs such as J-STARS (Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System).
On November 3, 2000, a flight crew from the Air Force Flight Test Center delivered the last EC=135E (series number 60-374, nicknamed "The Bird of Prey") to the museum. Over its 32-year career , the ARIA supported the US peace program, gathered telemetry, verified international treaties and supported cruise missile and ballistic missile defense tests.
TECHNICAL NOTES
Crew: 11
Engines: Four Pratt and Whitney TF-33-PW-102 turbofans (JT3D) of 18,000 lbs thrust each
Range: 2800-4500 nautical miles without in-flight refueling (depending on mission and equipment carried)
Weight: 300,500 lbs maximum takeoff gross weight
This Aircraft:
"During the early 1960s, NASA and the Department of Defense needed a mobile tracking and telemetry platform to support the Apollo space program and other unmanned space flight operations. 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). 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. The Air Force Eastern Test Range (AFETR) at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., 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).
Transferred to the 4950th Test Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 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. In 1994 the ARIA fleet relocated to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., as part of the 412th Test Wing. 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 (Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System)." ~ National Museum USAF
"EC-135E - re-engined EC-135N
"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. 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 EC-135N Apollo / Range Instrumentation Aircraft (A/RIA). 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 Air Force Eastern Test Range (AFETR) 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).
"Since Patrick AFB was located, literally, on the Atlantic Ocean, salt water and salt air-induced corrosion issues and associated aircraft maintenance challenges were problematic for the ARIA while based there. 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. In 1994, the ARIA fleet relocated again to Edwards AFB, California, as part of the 412th Test Wing. 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 E-8 J-STARS." ~ Wikipedia