RC-12 Guardrail
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The RC-12, officially known as Guardrail is an electronic warfare aircraft operated by the US Army. As such it is one of the few fixed wing aircraft operated by the US ground forces
Role
The aircraft's role is as an electronic snooper, listening in for enemy radio transmissions. In technical terms it is described as The Guardrail Common Sensor [GR/CS]. It is a Corps Level Airborne Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) collection/location system that integrates the Improved GUARDRAIL V (IGR V), Communication High Accuracy Airborne Location System (CHAALS), and the Advanced QUICKLOOK (AQL) into the same SIGINT platform -- the RC-12K/N/P/Q aircraft. Key features include integrated COMINT and ELINT reporting, enhanced signal classification and recognition, fast Direction Finding (DF), precision emitter location, and an advanced integrated aircraft cockpit.Description
It is a modified Beechcraft Super King Air aircraft which has been given a military designation of RC-12. It looks like a small business aircraft with 2 prop engines on its low wings and a high T-shaped tail. Generally they are now painted a light grey colour. Its most obvious feature is that it is festooned with communication aerials, looking like a flying pincushion. That fact alone makes it recognisable.A full technical description and photographs which capture its unique appearance are given at [FAS]
The RC-12 is unarmed.
History
Wherever the US Army has wanted to listen to its enemies since the end of the Vietnam war, the RC-12 has been there. Confirmed service history includes- Patrolled the border between East and West Germany from 1972 through to 1990
- Active in Korea since 1973
- Central America from 1983 through 1994.
- Two units took part in Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990/1
- It is assumed that they have been active in Iraq since 2003 as this [Washington Post] article confirms
Future
Due to its nature, a relatively cheap aircraft filled with installed electronics, the capabilities of the RC-12 have been regularly updated. Despite this, it is coming to the end of its useful service life and a replacement is being actively sought as this [article] describes. The level of interservice rivalry which this article exposes is also worth noting.As the only crew usually in the craft are the two pilots, with much of the reconnaissance work being done from the ground it would appear that a Unmanned aerial vehicle is a prime candidate for its replacement
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