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Rivet Joint aircraft sets milestone: Second time in history aircraft surpasses 50,000 flight hours

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kelly White
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  An Air Force asset that's been keeping watch over the enemy in the area of responsibility for nearly 20 years marked a milestone in the skies over Afghanistan March 4.

Upon landing on the flightline at this non-disclosed Southwest Asia location, RC-135V/W Rivet Joint tail number 139 had surpassed 50,000 flight hours - only the second of its kind to reach this mark since the aircraft first took flight in 1962.

"For the Rivet Joint program and the mission, 50,000 flight hours is a significant milestone to recognize," said Lt. Col. Richard Linehan, 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron commander.

"With only 17 of them in inventory - and about 25 percent of the fleet here - it is an indication of how valuable an asset the RJ is to operations within the AOR," the colonel said.

The RC-135 supports reconnaissance needs of both troops on the ground and national intelligence agencies. Its crew, in addition to pilots and navigators, consists of in-flight equipment maintenance technicians and intelligence experts - electronic warfare officers and intelligence operators who monitor the enemy's electronic activity - using sophisticated intelligence-gathering, analysis and dissemination equipment.

"We support all of our customers who are on the ground and in the air," the colonel said. "Essentially, they - the various task forces - tell us when and where they want us to be. We glean intelligence through information we're able to pick up while we're flying and pass that back along to our customers."

The information RC-135 crews provide for ground forces includes indications about location and intentions of enemy forces and warnings of threatening activity, broadcasting direct voice communications, such as combat advisories, and imminent threat warnings that can go directly to aircraft in danger and operating data and voice links to get target info to U.S. ground-based air defenses.

"A lot of what's different today than in the past - and what sets the RJ apart from other reconnaissance aircraft - is that we're picking up real-time information on the enemy and getting that information directly to our customers on the ground real-time," the colonel explained. "It can be intel about an attack or intel to aid in operations where they're going to take out high-value targets."

One of many examples demonstrating the importance of the RC-135 to troops on the ground took place as recently as February, during the Afghan-led Operation Moshtarak in Southern Afghanistan.

While entering the area of operations, the aircraft used signal intelligence reports to support U.S. ground forces in enemy-occupied territory, Colonel Linehan explained. The RC-135 gathered intelligence revealing insurgents' plan to ambush U.S. helicopters.

"The crew was able to tip forces of imminent danger," he said. "The helos then positively identified enemy forces preparing mortars for attack, concurrent with the RC-135's information. The helos assumed a defensive posture and an attack helo was called in to eliminate the enemy threat."

The RC-135's support resulted in zero U.S. casualties and a significant degradation of enemy capabilities in the region, the colonel added.

Master Sgt. Robert Evans, 763rd ERS airborne mission supervisor, currently on his sixth Operation Enduring Freedom deployment, said he's been flying on RC-135s for more than 20 years, and he can attest to the increasing demand for intelligence his crew provides for troops on the ground.

"When I first started flying, we hardly ever deployed, usually just short-term (temporary duty assignments) for exercises," he said. "But, with the shift in mission focus from strategic to tactical following the first Persian Gulf War, the amount of time we spend away from home supporting missions in the AOR has increased dramatically."

Sergeant Evans said he recalled a mission where his crew had crucial intelligence on a planned enemy attack that almost failed to make its way to ground troops before the troops headed directly into an ambush.

"We had locational data for seven enemy ambush positions along both sides of a road heading east from a forward operating base," the sergeant said. "We attempted to contact Coalition forces at the (forward operating base) through all available methods, but were unable to establish communication.

"I felt almost frantic not being able to contact the CF at the FOB," he said. "I didn't want to see any of our guys getting killed when we could have prevented it."

Ultimately, the team was able to get the information to ground forces, giving the convoy a life-saving advantage as they proceeded toward the enemy.

Colonel Linehan said his RJ team has excelled during his tenure and he's proud of the important intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance piece they and the RJ bring to the ongoing war in Operation Enduring Freedom.

"I'm extremely pleased with the job my squadron and the 55th Aircraft Maintenance Unit have done here. I'm so proud of the team we put together to get the mission done - from the intel, the staff support, to the maintenance unit. Even though we all come from different units back home, we're able to unite everyone to get the job done and save lives."