Boeing RC-135
| RC-135 | |
|---|---|
| An RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft in flight. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Reconnaissance aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Boeing (airframe) L3Harris Technologies |
| Status | Active |
| Primary users | United States Air Force |
| Number built | 32 total airframes in all iterations |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1961 |
| Developed from | Boeing C-135 Stratolifter |
The Boeing RC-135 is a family of large reconnaissance aircraft built by Boeing and modified by a number of companies, including General Dynamics, Lockheed, LTV, E-Systems, L3Harris Technologies, and used by the United States Air Force and Royal Air Force to produce theater and national level intelligence with near real-time on-scene collection, analysis and dissemination capabilities.
Based on the C-135 Stratolifter airframe, various types of RC-135s have been in service since 1961. Unlike the C-135 and KC-135 which are recognized by Boeing as the Model 717, most of the current RC-135 fleet, with the exception of the RAF's RC-135Ws, is internally designated as the Model 739 by the company. Many variants have been modified numerous times, resulting in a large variety of designations, configurations, and program names.