MC-12Ws and a U-2 at Beale

www.lazygranch.com...

The MC-12W was pieced together for snooping in Afghanistan. Basically it is a C-12 with camera pod and who knows what else. The last I read, they are going to hand them over to the air guard. I don't know if the guard is going to be flying around the US with the sensor pod attached!

The only sensor directed at me was the dude looking at me from the window. I don't want to start any rumors, but the resemblance to the late Steve Jobs is a bit creepy.

Regarding the U-2, I don't recall ever seeing one use the speed brakes.

The pods carry the Senior Spear/Senior Ruby systems. Senior Spear is a COMINT system that covers 30mhz to 3ghz, and a number of various modulations. Senior Ruby is an ELINT package.


Senior Spear

They used speed brakes on every landing that I was out there for. Being a sailplane, they tend to balloon on landing if they aren't very careful.

I saw dozens of landings of the U2 over the years, mostly at Ft. Wainwright, AK and they always used the speed brakes

reply to post by gariac


Some of the systems carried on the MC-12W are shown on this web page


MC-12W Systems