BUNO 553134

KNC-135A

NUCAR-1

Boeing C/N 17250

USAF Serial Number 55-3134

Originaly manufactured by Boeing as a  KC-135A-BN Stratotanker it was modified as a JKC-135A, a USAF testbed aircraft.

It was them modified as an NKC-135A and was bailed to the US Navy  for use as Electronic Warfare Training Aircraft.

It retained the USAF Serial Number as the Navy BUNO.

553134 was placed in storage at Davis-Monthan on Feb 20 1996.

 

US Navy Photo

 

US Navy Photo

 

Photo by Frank J. Mirande

 

On takeoff, displaying multitude of antennas and pods that bespoke its mission:

Training Navy airborne and shipborne crews to operate in a (maddeningly) realistic electronic warfare environment.

Good view of the wing mounted Pods

Marietta - Dobbins ARB (Atlanta NAS) GA, 18 Feb 1994

 

BUNO 563596

NKC-135A

NUCAR-2

Boeing C/N 17345

Air Force Serial Number 56-3596

Originaly manufactured by Boeing as a  KC-135A-BN Stratotanker it was modified as a JKC-135A, a USAF testbed aircraft.

It was them modified as an NKC-135A and was bailed to the US Navy  for use as Electronic Warfare Training Aircraft.

It retained the USAF Serial Number as the Navy BUNO.

553134 was placed in storage at Davis-Monthan on Feb 20 1996.

563596 was placed in storage at Davis-Monthan on Feb 20 1996.

 

Photo by Del Laughery

 

Photos by Steven Miller, used with permission

 

 

BUNO: 163050

Douglas C/N: 45881

Douglas Line Number: 276

EC-24A

NUCAR-3

The EC-24A is a DC-8-54F modified for Fleet Electronic Warfare Support Missions.

EX-N8048U, it was delivered to United Airlines and was operated from 1966 to 1984 when it was sold to the US Navy.

USAF Photos from Davis-Monthan

 

Photo from the GETA-O website

http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/geta-o/index.htm

 

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/ec-24.htm

AN/ALT-40(V) AIRCRAFT Airborne Jammer Simulator

 

AN/ALR-75 (V)  Electronic Support Measures Surveillance Receiver System

 

AN/DLQ-3 Electronic Countermeasures Jammer

 

AN/ALQ-170 Airborne Missile Simulator

 

 

 

Navy Transfers EW Training Reserve Component
http://www.jedonline.com/

1993

A sign of the times is the increasing inclination of Congress (in particular) and DOD officials to
transfer mission responsibilities from the active military services to reserve components. An example is provided by the Navy's recent transfer of EW training mission responsibilities to the Navy reserves.

Among organizations affected by this change is Navy's Fleet Training Readiness Group, which
includes elements of what was called the Fleet EW Support Group (FEWSG).

Three active duty squadrons -  VAQ-33, NAS Key West, FL; VAQ-34, NAS Lemoore, CA; and VAQ-35, NAS Whidbey Island, WA -  will be decommissioned October 1 as a result of the move. The EA-6B aircraft from VAQ-35 will dispersed to VAQ-209, Andrews AFB, MD, and VAQ-309 at Whidbey Island, while a VAQ-33 EP-3J will fly to VP-94, NAS New Orleans. VAQ-33 EA-6A and VAQ-34 F/A-18 aircraft also will be dispersed to stations around the country. The aircraft will carry the same EW equipment and
training systems assigned to them before the transfer.

CAPT Dennis Fandrei, program manager of Naval Air Systems Command's Reconnaissance and EW Systems Program Office (PMA-253), told Washington Report that program management for EW training efforts will remain the responsibility of PMA-253. 

NAVY: HERE AND THERE

http://www.jedonline.com/

1993

As far as surface ship training is concerned, the Navy prefers a more distributed approach in which the training assets are brought to the crews, as opposed to the other way around. Perhaps the best known EW training asset is the Fleet EW Support Group (FEWSG), which was melded with the Fleet Deception Group Atlantic in May 1992 to form the Fleet Tactical Readiness Group (FTRG). The FTRG possesses a fleet of airborne simulators that create a realistic threat environment against which SLQ-32 and other EW operators can hone their skills (see Table 1 for a listing of equipment and aircraft).

The FTRG has undergone a significant amount of reorganization within the last year. Stewardship has moved from the recently disbanded NAVAIR PMA-253 to PMA-272. The three VAQ squadrons assigned the FTRG role also were disbanded last October, with the reserves now tapped to fill their shoes. However, the two NKC-135As and the EC-24A aircraft operated for FTRG by Chrysler Technologies Airborne Systems (CTAS) have remained relatively unaffected by these changes. CTAS both maintains the aircraft and provides the aircrews, according to a company source. As highlighted in the table, the aircraft have been tailored for the FTRG mission; the NKC-135s can carry TREE jammer pods on their wing pylons, as well as flying ALQ-167, USQ-113(V)1 and ALT-40 jammers and
AST-6 threat simulators. The aircraft was being fit checked for the ALQ-170 pods as this issue went to press.

The FTRG has proven a multipurpose capability, said the source. In addition to training US Navy crews, joint training exercises have brought benefits to allied and friendly nations in Europe and South America. While the nature of the training missions changes with the perceived changes in potential threats, the requirement for such an asset remains, said the source. Thus, while CTAS currently is in the last of five option years, the source expressed confidence that a follow-on contract will be fully funded. The fact that the FTRG also has proven useful in test and evaluation applications adds to its utility and to its future security as a viable program.