In Texas, the KC-135R aircraft, designed to search for “nuclear traces” from the air, underwent flight tests. and mapping contaminated areas.
How does it work?
The aircraft is equipped with air filters, seismic sensors and other equipment for detecting traces of nuclear explosions. The pilots nicknamed him “The Sniffer”. So, it picks up sound waves in the range of less than 10Hz, which can travel very far.
Another sign of nuclear explosions will be the detection of radionuclides in the atmosphere. Existing methods make it possible to recognize even very small concentrations of these substances. In addition, the appearance of noble gases (rawdon, krypton) is a sign of testing. ” height=”425″ width=”640″ style=”display: block;” />
Boeing KC-135R. Photo: www.globallookpress.com/Kalousek Rostislav
Predecessors
The airframe for the latest aircraft was built in 1964 . However, it has since been converted to the CFM-56 engines used in Boeing-737 and Airbus A-320 and A-340 aircraft.
The Air Force's only operational WC-135W is the latest in a batch of 10 cargo C-135Bs that were converted to detect nuclear bombs in the 1960s. In the following decades, this fleet was reduced, although a few aircraft remained in service until the 1990s. Some of which have been upgraded to WC-135W configuration. By then, the WC-135C, made from the Looking GlassEC-135C command and control jet, had also joined the Constant Phoenix series.
By 2003, only one WC-135W and WC-135C were still flying the Constant Phoenix mission. The aging WC-135C, nicknamed “Lucifer's Chariot”, was officially retired from service in November 2020.
Application History
In 1986, WC-135s were deployed to assess the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and to monitor air quality after the explosion. In 2011, the last remaining WC-135W was sent from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska to detect radioactive materials in the atmosphere around Japan after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant was destroyed by an earthquake.
Refitting Team
The WC-135R conversion project was officially announced in 2018 . The FY2019 Budget Request proposed $208 million.
It was planned to install CFM-56s on the new vehicles, which are much more reliable, maintainable and efficient than their predecessors. The old Pratt & Whitney TF-33 engines were a key flaw that prevented the WC-135W from performing its full function.
Incidents
For decades, the has not invested in these aircraft, and they are so obsolete that in 2015-2016 they had a 40% breakdown rate .
In 2022, a WC-135W was forced to make an emergency landing at Mildenhall RAF Base in UK.
Destination
Upgraded Sniffer will perform air sampling operations to check for noticeable nuclear explosions. Constant Phoenix aircraft can be deployed to monitor and test nuclear weapons, and to find and track down nuclear leaks and other incidents. Aircraft can provide important information and also help map and mitigate the potential effects of an explosion.
Resources:
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