THIS is what I REALLY fly! (That's an E-6B, not EA-6B!)

[jollygreen07]

So THIS is that airplane everyone thinks I fly.

College friend: You fly the E-6? Is that the radar jammer airplane?
Me: *Facepalm*

030429-N-9999Z-001 Cecil Field, Fla. (Apr. 29, 2003) -- An E-6B Mercury is being moved into a Hanger at the Boeing Aerospace Support Center, Cecil Field Fla., to be retrofitted with a new cockpit and an advanced communications package. The E-6B is a dual-mission aircraft capable of fulfilling either the E-6A mission or the airborne strategic command post mission and is equipped with an airborne launch control system (ALCS). The ALCS is capable of launching U.S. land based intercontinental ballistic missiles. U.S. Navy photo. (RELEASED)

 

[HeyJoe]

Here's one with a vertical stab

 

[Beans]

Does anyone in Navy Public Affairs know how to spell "hangar?"

 

[jollygreen07]

Here's one with a vertical stab

Yeah, she's alot prettier all put together. Though, that one isn't as curvy as the B model.

 

[nugget61]

Idle curiosity - if the AF ever gets the KC-X would the Navy get some also for E-6 replacements or are we in better shape than them?

 

[mmx1]

Seeing as how the E-6 replaced the EC-135 some 20 years after the KC-135, probably not.

 

[porw0004]

Originally Posted by jollygreen07
So THIS is that airplane everyone thinks I fly.

College friend: You fly the E-6? Is that the radar jammer airplane?
Me: *Facepalm*

Depending on where you went to college, I'd be impressed that he/she even knew there was a radar jamming aircraft and got relatively close to the name.

The people I have to explain things to are surprised when they find out I haven't just gotten back from dropping bombs in Iraqi after one year in the Navy, and that instead I'm only halfway through Primary. Of course, this is promptly followed up by explaining just what is "Primary", again.

 

[jollygreen07]

Idle curiosity - if the AF ever gets the KC-X would the Navy get some also for E-6 replacements or are we in better shape than them?

When I first showed up, I thought that the E-6 was just like a KC-135 except with a few more antennas and no boom. That's not the case. It's actually a completely new airframe that is larger than the 135 in almost every dimension. They (the E-6) were all built in the mid 80s-early 90s time frame, so as far as naval aircraft go, they aren't really that "old". Besides that, the systems aren't even close to compatable. I was talking to a buddy of mine that's going through the AF equivalent of the RAG for the 135 and I was shocked at all the differences.

 

[Flash]

Idle curiosity - if the AF ever gets the KC-X would the Navy get some also for E-6 replacements or are we in better shape than them?

The E-6's were the last 707's off the line, the KC-135's were among the very first jetliners off the Boeing line. A difference of over 40 years.

When I first showed up, I thought that the E-6 was just like a KC-135 except with a few more antennas and no boom. That's not the case. It's actually a completely new airframe that is larger than the 135 in almost every dimension. They (the E-6) were all built in the mid 80s-early 90s time frame, so as far as naval aircraft go, they aren't really that "old". Besides that, the systems aren't even close to compatable. I was talking to a buddy of mine that's going through the AF equivalent of the RAG for the 135 and I was shocked at all the differences.

The E-6's are modified 707's, just like the E-3 AWACS. The 135's are actually a development of the Boeing 367-80 prototype, the 'Dash 80', and not the 707 itself, which was developed seperately from the Dash 80.

 

[OscarMyers]

Do the vertical stab on all 707's fold or is that just keeping wiht the naval tradition of folding everything.

 

[jollygreen07]

The E-6's were the last 707's off the line, the KC-135's were among the very first jetliners off the Boeing line. A difference of over 40 years.



The E-6's are modified 707's, just like the E-3 AWACS. The 135's are actually a development of the Boeing 367-80 prototype, the 'Dash 80', and not the 707 itself, which was developed seperately from the Dash 80.

Wow, well.. There's something else I didn't know. I shudder to compare the AWACS and the E-6. I regularly see them bouncing one after another at Tinker and I still can't figure out why the hell the air force hasn't figured out how to convert all that noise and smoke into usable thrust. They look like a Goddamn flying forest fire. The E-6 is silent and smokeless compared to the AWACS.

And no, no control surfaces on the E-6 fold like other Naval aircraft. No need to when you have a giant ramp to keep them on, and giant hangars to keep them in.

 

[OscarMyers]

I only ask because of this pictures !?!?

030429-N-9999Z-001 Cecil Field, Fla. (Apr. 29, 2003) -- An E-6B Mercury is being moved into a Hanger at the Boeing Aerospace Support Center, Cecil Field Fla., to be retrofitted with a new cockpit and an advanced communications package. The E-6B is a dual-mission aircraft capable of fulfilling either the E-6A mission or the airborne strategic command post mission and is equipped with an airborne launch control system (ALCS). The ALCS is capable of launching U.S. land based intercontinental ballistic missiles. U.S. Navy photo. (RELEASED)[/QUOTE]

 

[jollygreen07]

I only ask because of this pictures !?!?

030429-N-9999Z-001 Cecil Field, Fla. (Apr. 29, 2003) -- An E-6B Mercury is being moved into a Hanger at the Boeing Aerospace Support Center, Cecil Field Fla., to be retrofitted with a new cockpit and an advanced communications package. The E-6B is a dual-mission aircraft capable of fulfilling either the E-6A mission or the airborne strategic command post mission and is equipped with an airborne launch control system (ALCS). The ALCS is capable of launching U.S. land based intercontinental ballistic missiles. U.S. Navy photo. (RELEASED)

[/QUOTE]

They removed the vert stab.

 

[eddie]

Is the USAF out of the Looking Glass game entirely?

 

[jollygreen07]

Is the USAF out of the Looking Glass game entirely?

Nah. The E-6B has a battlestaff compartment that carries an AF crew. They control the ALCS. Each squadron sends a jet to Offut AFB for a week or so for that mission.