AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- On Oct. 10, 2020, members of the 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron celebrated 30 years of the RC-135 Rivet Joint operating in U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility.
The Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft supports theater and national level consumers with near real-time on-scene intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination capabilities.
“The Rivet Joint is the world’s premier intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance [ISR] aircraft,” said Capt. James Francis, 763rd ERS mission planning cell team chief. “Our crew’s ability to process and disseminate signals intelligence is unmatched.”
Since arriving in the AOR the aircraft and its crews have conducted 12,963 missions, been in theater 10,958 days, and completed 141,358 flying hours.
In its 30 years supporting the mission in the AOR, the Rivet Joint has called both, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar and Riyadh Air Base, Saudi Arabia, home.
According to Staff Sgt. Robert Null, 763rd ERS data link operator, the Rivet Joint is important to supporting our coalition forces in the AOR.
“The RJ provides accurate and timely ISR of target forces to support coalition operations and to the intelligence community as a whole enabling decision makers at various levels to take informed action throughout the Global War on Terrorism,” he said.
When asked why this was a significant milestone for the U.S. Air Force, Lt. Col. Christopher Miser, 763rd ERS commander said, “The grit and resolve of our Airmen has no equal and no expiration.
“We will remain in place until the job is done. Our 30 years of vigilance demonstrates our unwavering commitment to our allies and our determination against regional adversaries.”