Mystery as America’s ‘nuclear sniffer’ jet makes strange journey across several states
The Boeing WC-135R Constant Phoenix, used by the US Air Force to detect nuclear activity, was seen flying across several states on Thursday, causing concern among observers.
Flight data shows the so-called ‘nuclear sensor’ took off from Nebraska, circled South Dakota and looped near Fargo, North Dakota.
The plane is currently circling over Rapid City, South Dakota, as it continues its mission.
The purpose of the WC-135R is to collect atmospheric samples to detect and identify radioactive debris from nuclear explosions, supporting arms control treaty verification and national security by monitoring nuclear explosions and fallout.
The flight took place as the US-Russia nuclear deal, New START Treaty, was scheduled to expire on February 5, leading some observers to fear the worst.
Although U.S. officials have not confirmed the reason for the mission, domestic flights of the WC-135R are generally for crew training, equipment calibration or background radiation monitoring.
But Northrop Grumman also launched its redesigned Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) target vehicle for the first time on Thursday to coincide with the flight of the WC-135R.
Although it uses components from decommissioned nuclear-age missiles, the ICBM target vehicle is unarmed and cannot carry nuclear weapons; It serves only as a threat proxy test platform for US missile defense systems.
The Boeing WC-135R Constant Phoenix, which the US Air Force uses to detect nuclear activity, was seen flying across several states on Thursday (STOCK)
Robin Heard, director of targets and interceptors, Northrop Grumman: ‘By embedding digital technology into every phase of ICBM target redesign and new integration processes, we have streamlined field operations, increased operational safety and increased cost effectiveness for our customers.
‘The significant efficiencies identified during initial pathfinding and initial launch of the redesigned target will positively impact future flight testing.’
However, it is not known whether the flight of WC-135R was linked to the ICMB test.
The WC-135R has been specially modified with an onboard atmospheric collection suite that allows its crew to detect radioactive ‘clouds’ in real time.
The aircraft is equipped with external flow devices that capture particles on filter paper, as well as a compressor system that collects all air samples in retention spheres for analysis.
The flight was operated by a cockpit crew from the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, while special equipment operators are assigned to the Air Force Technical Applications Center Detachment 1, also at Offutt.
The Constant Phoenix program dates back to September 16, 1947, when General Dwight D Eisenhower tasked the Army Air Forces with detecting atomic explosions worldwide.
In a historic mission in September 1949, a WB-29 aircraft flying between Alaska and Japan collected debris from Russia’s first atomic test; this was an event that was initially thought impossible until the mid-1950s.
Flight data shows “nuclear detector” taking off from Nebraska, circling South Dakota and returning near Fargo, North Dakota
Although U.S. officials have not confirmed the reason for the mission, domestic flights of the WC-135R are generally for crew training, equipment calibration, or background radiation monitoring (STOCK)
In subsequent years, aircraft including the WB-50 and later the WC-135 replaced earlier models, becoming the backbone of U.S. airborne nuclear detection.
Air sampling missions cover the Far East, the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, the Mediterranean, the polar regions, and the coasts of South America and Africa.
WC-135W specifically tracked radioactive fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union.
Today, the WC-135 fleet continues to support the 1963 Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which bans all above-ground nuclear weapons testing.
These aircraft remain the US Air Force’s sole platform for aerial nuclear air sampling operations.
Flight tracking of Thursday’s flight flooded social media, where users noted that the US-Russia nuclear deal was nearing its end.
The countries signed the New START Treaty on April 8, 2010, marking the eighth treaty.
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed in September that both sides agree to another 12 months to comply with New START limits, which limit the number of deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550 on each side.
US President Donald Trump has yet to provide a formal response, and Western security analysts are divided on whether it is wise to accept Putin’s offer.
