Boeing WC-135 Constant Phoenix
| WC-135 Constant Phoenix | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| A WC-135 Constant Phoenix approaching a tanker | |
| Role | Atmosphere Testing Related to Nuclear Incidents |
| Manufacturer | Boeing Military Airplanes Division |
| Introduction | December 1965 |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
| Number built | 10 original WC-135B, plus 1 converted former EC-135C. Two aircraft currently in active service. |
| Developed from | C-135 Stratolifter |
| Variants | OC-135B Open Skies |
The WC-135 Constant Phoenix is a special purpose aircraft derived from the Boeing C-135 and used by the United States Air Force. Its mission is to collect samples from the atmosphere for the purpose of detecting and identifying nuclear explosions. It is also informally referred to as the "weather bird" or "the sniffer" by workers on the program.
The WC-135 was introduced in December 1965, replacing Boeing WB-50 aircraft in the weather-reconnaissance and air-sampling mission. Ten aircraft were initially converted from C-135B transport aircraft, and were placed in service with the 55th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at McClellan Air Force Base, California, with the Military Airlift Command (MAC). Detachments were located at various bases throughout the United States and worldwide. The aircraft occasionally took on other roles throughout their careers; several aircraft were temporarily assigned to the 10th Airborne Command and Control Squadron at RAF Mildenhall in the late 1980s and early '90s as training aircraft so that the unit could reduce the accumulation of flight hours on its EC-135Hs, while others served as staff transports on an as-needed basis.
While most aircraft were placed into storage in the early 1990s, three were retained for further use. Serial no. 61-2666 was converted to an NC-135, and remains in service as a testbed for RC-135 equipment upgrades. Serial no. 61-2667 was upgraded to a WC-135W, given the project name Constant Phoenix, and remains in service with the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Serial no. 61-2674 was converted to the first OC-135B Open Skies observation aircraft, reentering service in 1993. It was later stored in 1997 and replaced with two additional aircraft.
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