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Support Aircraft for the Eastern Range
A variety of aircraft have operated on the Eastern Range. They provided missile tracking data in areas of the Range that ground stations could not cover, astronaut rescue services, air/sea surveillance and cargo/passenger transport. Some aircraft were also deployed outside of the Eastern Test Range in support of the manned spaceflight program and other special missions.
C-54C
- Used in the 1950s
- Replaced by the C-130s
- Nine C-54 aircraft supported the Range
JC-54
- Telemetry aircraft
- 15 September 1960 - Loaned to Western Test Range to support Discoverer XV reentry capsule
JC-131B
- Equipped for terminal (to splash) telemetry, frequency control, search, weather and instrumentation checkout missions
- Modified C-131B aircraft
- 1954 - Conversion of six C-131B to detect and locate reentering missile nose cones
JC-130A
- Equipped for telemetry
- C-band transponder, electronic search, visual search, and communication
- 1961/1962 - Eleven C-130 were modified and assigned to the Range
F-89
- Used to simulate and track Snark missile flight
F-94B/624N
- Supported the Bomarc project
B-45
- Simulated Snark missile flight
JB-57B
- Primarily used for visual weather reconnaissance and instrumentation checkout
C-135B
- 28 April 1967 - Decision was made to use a C-135B as Telemetry Range Instrumentation Aircraft (TRIA)
- C-135B appearance was identical to the EC-135N
EC-135E/N; EC-18B
- Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft (ARIA)
- Used as flexible airborne telemetry data recording and relay stations
- January 1967 - Eight C-135 were modified to six EC-135N and two EC-135E and called Apollo/Range Instrumentation Aircraft (A/RIA)
- The strange looking “droop snoot” nose carried a 7 foot parabolic dish used for telemetry and communications reception
- Cost was $32 million for the project
- 25 August 1967 - The first ARIA aircraft, a modified EC-135N, arrived at Patrick Air Force Base
- December 1975 - After the Apollo program ended, aircraft were renamed Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft (ARIA)
- Numerous conversions occurred and the aircraft became EC-135E
- 1982 - USAF bought eight 707-320C, modified them into ARIA configurations and designated them EC-18B
- The EC-18B is larger than the EC-135E
- 24 August 2001 - ARIA missions ended
NKC-135A
- Also Known As: Airborne Astrographic Camera Systems (AAC)
- Two AACS supported the Range
- November 1965 - Airborne Lightweight Optical Tracking System (ALOTS) was added to provide launch area coverage
NP-3D
- Also Known As: Orion
- Provided telemetry and replay station for Trident missions
HH-3E
- Also Known As: Jolly Green Giant
- Helicopter provided Range support for Shuttle flights
- Assigned to 920th Rescue Wing
HH-60
- Also Known As: Pave Hawk
- Helicopter replaced the HH-3E for Space Shuttle support
- Assigned to 920th Rescue Wing
