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{{ | U.S. '''RC-135S COBRA BALL aircraft''' are large aircraft, modified from transport aircraft, flown by United States Air Force crews of the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, which are intended for collecting measurement and signature intelligence on foreign missile tests. In an operational context, potentially could be used for warning and tracking of theater-level ballistic missile launches. They are based at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska (U.S. state)|Nebraska, but deploy worldwide. | ||
U.S. '''RC-135S COBRA BALL aircraft''' are large aircraft, modified from | |||
With recent architectural changes, there is an increased commonality of parts with the | With recent architectural changes, there is an increased commonality of parts with the RC-135 RIVET JOINT|RC-135V/W aircraft, which have a more signals intelligence with some MASINT capability. This will allow a RIVET JOINT aircraft to be reconfigured as a COBRA BALL, and vice versa. In addition, the functions of the RIVET JOINT, COBRA BALL, and RC-135 COMBAT SENT could be complementary during actual fighting, and these three intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft further complement the E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) and the E-8 Joint STARS ground surveillance radar aicraft. | ||
COBRA BALL's primary mission had been created to track Soviet mission developments, but, with the change in geopolitics, the was primarily used as a traditional mission in the past against Russia, but now the United States has no named enemy. This platform is evolving to meet new roles and missions, and now carries linguists proficient in many languages. This is part of the joint Air Force/Navy When the PONY EXPRESS operations, with a | COBRA BALL's primary mission had been created to track Soviet mission developments, but, with the change in geopolitics, the was primarily used as a traditional mission in the past against Russia, but now the United States has no named enemy. This platform is evolving to meet new roles and missions, and now carries linguists proficient in many languages. This is part of the joint Air Force/Navy When the PONY EXPRESS operations, with a communications intelligence capability for backing up the RC-135 RIVET JOINT. <ref name=FAS-PONY>{{citation | ||
| url = http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/aia/cyberspokesman/97aug/cobra_ball.htm | | url = http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/aia/cyberspokesman/97aug/cobra_ball.htm | ||
| title = Cobra Ball: RC- 135S Cobra Ball Air Force's optical intelligence collection platform}}</ref> | | title = Cobra Ball: RC- 135S Cobra Ball Air Force's optical intelligence collection platform}}</ref> | ||
Am operational, rather than national intelligence collection, mission could be detecting and tracking theater | Am operational, rather than national intelligence collection, mission could be detecting and tracking theater ballistic missiles. <ref name=COBRABALL>{{Citation | ||
| last = Pike | | last = Pike | ||
| first = John | | first = John | ||
| title = COBRA BALL | | title = COBRA BALL | ||
| url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/cobra_ball.htm}}</ref> COBRA BALL could be cued to a target by a | | url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/cobra_ball.htm}}</ref> COBRA BALL could be cued to a target by a electro-optical MASINT#Space-based Staring Infrared Sensors|Defense Support Program (DSP) satellite. DSP satellites have worldwide coverage, and detect intense heat sources such as rocket engine ignition. | ||
Along with sea-based and possibly ground-based sensors, the original COBRA mission can be adapted to observing long-range missiles, but is also appropriate for theater-level weapons, which may be addressed in regional arms limitation agreements, such as the | Along with sea-based and possibly ground-based sensors, the original COBRA mission can be adapted to observing long-range missiles, but is also appropriate for theater-level weapons, which may be addressed in regional arms limitation agreements, such as the Missile Technology Control Regime (MCTR). Where COBRA JUDY is built into a ship, this dual frequency (S- and X-band) radar is transportable, capable of operating on ships or on land, and optimized for monitoring medium range ballistic missiles and antimissile systems. It is air-transportable to deal with sudden monitoring contingencies. | ||
==Sensors== | ==Sensors== | ||
COBRA BALL operates as part of a MASINT system, cooperating with COBRA DANE ground and COBRA JUDY sea-based radar. It has | COBRA BALL operates as part of a MASINT system, cooperating with COBRA DANE ground and COBRA JUDY sea-based radar. It has electro-optical MASINT sensors that are "...two linked electro-optical sensors -- the Real Time Optics System (RTOS) and the Large Aperture Tracker System (LATS). RTOS consists of an array of staring sensors encompassing a wide field of regard for target acquisition. LATS serves as an adjunct tracker. Due to its large aperture, it has significantly greater sensitivity and resolving power than the RTOS, but is otherwise similar.<ref name=COBRABALL /> COBRA BALL MASINT#Cueing |cues the COBRA DANE ground radar and the COBRA JUDY ship-based radar. See Radar MASINT. | ||
The original COBRA DANE ground radar, however, is not mobile, so the COBRA JUDY can work with COBRA BALL in much of the world. Work on a transportable ground system appears to have been halted. | The original COBRA DANE ground radar, however, is not mobile, so the COBRA JUDY can work with COBRA BALL in much of the world. Work on a transportable ground system appears to have been halted. | ||
==COBRA BALL vs. RIVET JOINT== | ==COBRA BALL vs. RIVET JOINT== | ||
<!-- | <!--Image:RC-135 Cobra Ball aircraft parked at Offutt.jpg|thumb|Two Cobra Ball aircraft on the flightline at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.--> | ||
There is a broader program to standardize the architecture of the various RC-135 aircraft, so that there will be greater commonality of parts, and some ability to switch missions: | There is a broader program to standardize the architecture of the various RC-135 aircraft, so that there will be greater commonality of parts, and some ability to switch missions: | ||
==Defensive systems== | ==Defensive systems== | ||
The | The infrared countermeasures was not limited to flares, but directed energy from the AN/ALQ-157 system.<ref name=ALQ-157>{{citation | ||
| author = BaE Systems | | author = BaE Systems | ||
| url =http://www.aiaa.org/tc/sur/Pages/ALQ-157M.pdf | | url =http://www.aiaa.org/tc/sur/Pages/ALQ-157M.pdf | ||
| title =AN/ALQ-157(M) infrared countermeasures system.}}</ref> The aircraft has an | | title =AN/ALQ-157(M) infrared countermeasures system.}}</ref> The aircraft has an ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser System [CMDS], is a "smart" dispenser that connects directly to infrared and radar warning receivers, release expendable and towed/retrivable decoys, as well as helping the pilot with situational awareness of the threat. | ||
==General specifications== | ==General specifications== |
Latest revision as of 12:24, 22 March 2024
This article may be deleted soon. | ||
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![]() U.S. RC-135S COBRA BALL aircraft are large aircraft, modified from transport aircraft, flown by United States Air Force crews of the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, which are intended for collecting measurement and signature intelligence on foreign missile tests. In an operational context, potentially could be used for warning and tracking of theater-level ballistic missile launches. They are based at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska (U.S. state)|Nebraska, but deploy worldwide. With recent architectural changes, there is an increased commonality of parts with the RC-135 RIVET JOINT|RC-135V/W aircraft, which have a more signals intelligence with some MASINT capability. This will allow a RIVET JOINT aircraft to be reconfigured as a COBRA BALL, and vice versa. In addition, the functions of the RIVET JOINT, COBRA BALL, and RC-135 COMBAT SENT could be complementary during actual fighting, and these three intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft further complement the E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) and the E-8 Joint STARS ground surveillance radar aicraft. COBRA BALL's primary mission had been created to track Soviet mission developments, but, with the change in geopolitics, the was primarily used as a traditional mission in the past against Russia, but now the United States has no named enemy. This platform is evolving to meet new roles and missions, and now carries linguists proficient in many languages. This is part of the joint Air Force/Navy When the PONY EXPRESS operations, with a communications intelligence capability for backing up the RC-135 RIVET JOINT. [1] Am operational, rather than national intelligence collection, mission could be detecting and tracking theater ballistic missiles. [2] COBRA BALL could be cued to a target by a electro-optical MASINT#Space-based Staring Infrared Sensors|Defense Support Program (DSP) satellite. DSP satellites have worldwide coverage, and detect intense heat sources such as rocket engine ignition. Along with sea-based and possibly ground-based sensors, the original COBRA mission can be adapted to observing long-range missiles, but is also appropriate for theater-level weapons, which may be addressed in regional arms limitation agreements, such as the Missile Technology Control Regime (MCTR). Where COBRA JUDY is built into a ship, this dual frequency (S- and X-band) radar is transportable, capable of operating on ships or on land, and optimized for monitoring medium range ballistic missiles and antimissile systems. It is air-transportable to deal with sudden monitoring contingencies. SensorsCOBRA BALL operates as part of a MASINT system, cooperating with COBRA DANE ground and COBRA JUDY sea-based radar. It has electro-optical MASINT sensors that are "...two linked electro-optical sensors -- the Real Time Optics System (RTOS) and the Large Aperture Tracker System (LATS). RTOS consists of an array of staring sensors encompassing a wide field of regard for target acquisition. LATS serves as an adjunct tracker. Due to its large aperture, it has significantly greater sensitivity and resolving power than the RTOS, but is otherwise similar.[2] COBRA BALL MASINT#Cueing |cues the COBRA DANE ground radar and the COBRA JUDY ship-based radar. See Radar MASINT. The original COBRA DANE ground radar, however, is not mobile, so the COBRA JUDY can work with COBRA BALL in much of the world. Work on a transportable ground system appears to have been halted. COBRA BALL vs. RIVET JOINTThere is a broader program to standardize the architecture of the various RC-135 aircraft, so that there will be greater commonality of parts, and some ability to switch missions: Defensive systemsThe infrared countermeasures was not limited to flares, but directed energy from the AN/ALQ-157 system.[3] The aircraft has an ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser System [CMDS], is a "smart" dispenser that connects directly to infrared and radar warning receivers, release expendable and towed/retrivable decoys, as well as helping the pilot with situational awareness of the threat. General specificationsSome of the specifications for the aircraft proper, as opposed to its crew or deployment, are assumed to be that of the interchangeable RC-135V/W RIVET JOINT.
References |