309th AMARG

[bilwor]

Boeing YAL-1A (30201)(USAF 00-0001)(Airborne laser platform)(The laser weapons system is a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) mounted inside the modified Boeing 747-4GRF. It is primarily designed as a missile defense system to destroy tactical ballistic missiles (TBMs) while in boost phase) AMARG 04/26/13

[bilwor]

McDonnell Douglas DC-10 (46524)(N910SF)(former 99-0910)(Registered to the Missile Defense Agency  to test ballistic missile detection systems known as WASP - Widebody Airborne Sensor Platform. Contracted to Raytheon Flight Test Operations. It has ultra high frequency satellite communication and performs target acquisition and tracking. The WASP DC-10 was modified for open air sensor viewing with "Aerowindow" the largest open port cavity to have ever flown. The door opening measures 135 inches in length. The structural opening is over 180 inches in length. Behind the "Aerowindow" is a large un-pressurized room. This room is pre-cooled so that when the door is opened there is minimal thermal shock to the equipment inside.  309th AMARG 04/26/13

[bilwor]

Col Robert Lepper Commander 309 AMARG

[bilwor]

Lockheed LC-130F/UV-1L/C-130BL "Hercules" (282-3567)(USN 148321)(AN2G0039)(XD-03 VXE-6
Puckered Penguins NAS Point Mugu CA)(After unloading a French traverse team on December 4 1971,the pilot made a JATO take-off to return to McMurdo 750 nautical miles away. At an altitude of about 50 feet, two JATO bottles separated from the left-hand side of the fuselage and struck the inboard engine and propeller. With the gearbox and propeller torn off and the outboard propeller damaged by flying debris, the aircraft was seriously damaged on impact. The ten man crew were uninjured but had to live in survival shelters for 80 hours until the weather improve enough to allow a rescue plane to land. Recovered after being burried by snow for 17 years in Antarctica and repaired, returned to VXE-6 from 1993-1999)

309th AMARG  04/26/13

[bilwor]

Lockheed NP-3D "Orion" (5025)(USN 150499)(AN2P0243)(VX-30 Bloodhounds Weapons Test
Squadron NAS Point Mugu CA)(modified with the "Billboard" for the Extended Area Test System (EATS) radar)

309th AMARG  04/26/13

[Bubak]

....very cool Bill!

[bilwor]

Thanks, Kaspar

bill

[bilwor]

Boeing YC-14A (USAF 72-1874) (N8740B)(AACW0001)(Only two of the twin-engine short  take-off and landing (STOL) tactical transports were built. It was Boeing's entrant into the United States Air Force's Advanced Medium STOL Transport (AMST) competition, which was aimed to replace the Lockheed C-130 Hercules)

309th AMARG 04/26/13

[bilwor]

Lockheed LC-130F "Hercules" (3565)(USN 148320)(AN2G0039)(XD-06 320 VX-30 Bloodhounds  Weapons Test Squadron NAS Point Mugu CA)

309th AMARG  04/26/13

[bilwor]

Lockheed DC-130A "Hercules" (3204)(USN 570497)(AN2G0055)(Formerly USAF 57-0497 RPV
drone launcher. To USN 1979 VX-30 NAWC Point Mugu as USN 570497 Was oldest C-130 in
US military service

309th AMARG 04/26/13

[Tower Guy]

Great series of photos Bill, the research you did really enhances them also, great job!

[bilwor]

Thanks, Harvey

[bilwor]

Alenia C-27A "Spartan" (4098)(N23743)(DOSAW C-1 US Department of State Air Wing  (Formerly USAF 90-0171)

309th AMARG 04/26/13

[bilwor]

McDonnell F-4G "Phantom II" (3869)(USAF 69-7212)(AAFP1003)(WA 561st Fighter Squadron Wild Weasels Nellis AFB NV)( 60 missions in Desert Storm. Credited with 5 SAM kills)

309th AMARG 04/26/13

[bilwor]

Convair QF-106A "Delta Dart" (USAF 59-0130)(ANXE0002)(Diverted from target drone inventory and converted at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center as test vehicle for reusable tow-launch vehicle in 1996. The last mission flown by an F-106 was as a participant where NASA Dryden Flight Research Center supported and hosted Kelly Space and Technology, Inc (KST)/USAF project known as Eclipse to demonstrate the validity of a concept for a reusable launch vehicle that would carry payloads into orbit. QF-106 59-130 was towed into the air by an NC-141A Starlifter (61-2775) using a synthetic rope. The first flight was made on 20 December 1997, and the last test took place on 6 February 1998. The tests were made to explore the feasibility of having a Boeing 747 tow an RLV known as the Astroliner to 45,000 feet, where the Astroliner would fire its rocket engines and fly into orbit. On 1 May 1998, this last flyable F-106 flew from Edwards to AMARG)

309th AMARG 04/26/13