Military Aircraft & Armored Vehicles

The Beechcraft RC-12 Guardrail is an electronic warfare and intelligence gathering aircraft, which is still in service with the US Army. Introduced in 1983, it was developed from the C-12 Huron transport aircraft, which in turn is based on the Super King Air 200 turboprop transport. Its main mission is to prying into the enemy's signals, using advanced electronic equipment systems. Its fuselage literally bristles with blade-like aerials that pick up signals as it flies sorties over or near enemy territory.

'Guardrail' is the code-name given by the US Army to the communication intelligence (comint) aircraft program dating from the Korean War. In the early days, Guardrail began as an effort to pinpoint enemy's radio transmitters. The first dedicated comint airplane was the RU-21, which was based on the Beech King Air 90. It was operationally throughout the 1960s, flying sorties near the border of North Korea, during the Cold War. Its main mission was to ascertain the location and intentions of the enemy from his radio transmissions.

The Beechcraft RC-12 Guardrail is usually equipped with the AN/USD-9-V-2 Guardrail V signals intelligence system. Although up to six systems operators can be accommodated on the aircraft behind the pilots in some configuration, today, this military aircraft generally relies on automation to intercept enemy communications as it often carries no equipment operators at all. The advanced on-board receivers locate, identify, and intercept hostile communications, relaying data through a down link to ground vehicles for analysis. The latest versions of the aircraft are the RC-12K, RC-12N, and RC-12P.

Technical Description

The Beechcraft RC-12 is a twin-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. It is fitted with straight, low wing, with dihedral angle and cantilever structure. The tail plane is also straight and set up on top of the vertical stabilizer (tail fin). The RC-12D variant is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-41 turboprop engines, each of which can deliver 850 horsepower.

Specifications

Type: intelligence gathering airplane.

Length: 13.34 m (43 ft, 9 in)

Wing Span: 17.63 m (57 ft, 10 in)

Wing Area: 28.15 m2 (303 sq. ft)

Height: 4.57 m (15 ft)

Power Plant: two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-41 turboprop engines.

Maximum Speed: 481 km/h (299 mph)

Range: 2,935 km (1,825 miles)

Service Ceiling: 9,420 m (30,900 ft)

Crew: two pilots + systems operators.

Below, the RC-12 in flight in 1985.

The RC-12N variant of the airplane, bristling with all types of antennas.

The Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star was an early warning aircraft of the Cold War. It was in service with the US Air Force and US Navy between 1954 and 1982. It was developed from the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constallation, which was a commercial airliner. Although it was generally used to provide early warning of approaching enemy aircraft, it played an important role as a fighter controller during the Vietnam War, directing the US fighters towards the Soviet-made Vietnamese MiG-21 combat aircraft.

The prototype of the EC-121 Warning Star, the PO-1W, made its maiden flight on June 9, 1949. Basically, it was a Lockheed L-749 Constallation carrying radars on the dorsal and ventral part of fuselage. However, the flight tests proved that the aircraft was too small for the large equipment. Thus, they decided to use the L-1049 Super Constellation instead. Having passed the tests satisfactorily, it would be introduced into service with the US Navy in October 1954. It was nick-named 'Super Connie'. A total of 232 aircraft would be produced for both the US Navy and the US Air Force, with the main variant being the EC-121K and the EC-121D.

Below, color photo of the aircraft; the US Navy WV-2/EC-121K, No. 143221, kept in the storage yard of the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Pensacola, Fl.

Technical Description

The Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star was a heavy four-engine monoplane. It had an all-metal fuselage and straight, cantilever low-wing, with dihedral angle. The wing supported a load equal to the aircraft weight. The tailplane had a wide horizontal stabilizer, with three vertical fins and three rudders. The aircraft had a large and comfortable cockpit, with the two pilots sitting in front side by side. The flight engineer, the navigator, and the radio operator sat behind them. The 28 electronic equipment operators sat in two rows in the fuselage.

To carry out its electronic surveillance missions, the Lockheed EC-121 was fitted with two powerful radars; one AN/APS-20 air-search, and one AN/APS-45 height-finding radar, which were set up in ventral and dorsal dome respectively. Later, they would be replaced by one AN/APS-93 air-search and one AN/APS-103 height-finding radar. The aircraft was powered by four Wright R-3350-34 turbo compound, 18-cylinder, supercharged, radial engines, each of which produced 3,400 horsepower.

Specifications

Type: airborne early warning aircraft.

Length: 35.54 m (116 feet, 7 inches)

Wing Span: 37.49 m (123 feet)

Wing Area: 153.29 m2 (1,650 square feet)

Height: 8.23 m (27 feet)

Power Plant: four Wright R-3350, turbo compound, twin-row 18-cylinder radial engines. 3,400-HP each.

Maximum Speed: 516 km/h (321 mph)

Range: 7,400 km (4,600 miles)

Service Ceiling: 6,280 m (20,604 feet)

Crew: 5 + 28 electronic operators

Below, the WV-2 (future EC-121) during a test flight in May 1954.