The service status of the RC-135 "Riveting" reconnaissance aircraft

There are currently 21 RC-135***s in service: two RC-135S, one RC-135X, two RC-135U, fourteen RC-135V/W and two RC -135 trainer aircraft. All RC-135s belong to the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command (air combat command), are deployed at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, and are flown by the 55th Wing. RC-135s in the Asia-Pacific region are usually deployed at the US military base in Okinawa, Japan. After taking off, they conduct reconnaissance along the coast of the target country. The crew is five people, three pilots and two navigators. There are 21 to 27 other personnel, depending on the task. There are usually at least three electronic warfare officers, 14 operators, and 4 random maintenance personnel.

In view of the importance of RC-135 in US military combat operations in the new century, the RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft unit is recruiting troops across the Air Force. RC-135 belongs to the 55th Wing under the US Air Combat Command. The wing is stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in the United States. Therefore, the RC-135 aircraft has the word OFF on the tail. In addition to the pattern representing the RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, the RC-135 logo also has the slogan: "Reconnaissance is my life, danger is my business." Each RC-135 includes 4 flight technicians The crew members are from different squadrons of the 55th Wing. The specific configuration of the personnel is: pilots, navigators and maintenance personnel belong to the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron; electronic warfare officers, commonly known as "Ravens" in the US military The officers and random technical officers belong to the 343rd Reconnaissance Squadron, and the remaining aircrew members are from the 97th Squadron.

If the mission is tight and the manpower is insufficient, the 95th U.S. Air Force stationed at Mildhall Air Force Base in the United Kingdom. The reconnaissance squadron can send pilots and navigators to fly the aircraft, and the 488th Intelligence Squadron based at the same base can provide the intelligence officer working on the rear of the aircraft. If the RC-135 is transferred to the Asia-Pacific region to perform reconnaissance missions, usually by Japan. The 82nd Reconnaissance Squadron at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa is responsible for providing all necessary support. Due to the heavy workload of the RC-135 unit and the upcoming addition of new aircraft to the fleet, the US military is recruiting troops across the entire Air Force. On the website of the Air Force Personnel Command, what comes to mind is an electronic advertisement for urgent recruitment of personnel for the RC-135 unit. According to this recruitment electronic advertisement, the most lacking thing for the US RC-135 unit at this stage is electronic warfare officers, who are responsible for recruiting personnel. Major Florin claimed that as long as officers with electronic warfare experience want to join the RC-135 unit, they only need to say hello to the headquarters commander and communicate with the Air Force Personnel Command position allocation officer, and they can be transferred to Offutt. Air Force Base.

In addition, there is a serious shortage of pilots and navigators who have flown RC-135 aircraft. Anyone who is willing to join the RC-135 unit can call. To the U.S. Air Force Personnel Command, personnel deployment officers can talk face-to-face with those who request to transfer troops. In order to increase the attractiveness of Offutt Air Force Base, the base is stepping up the construction of various welfare facilities and promising to stay in Austria without having to transfer to overseas bases. Ford Base for training