306 - Flying the RC-135S Cobra Ball

omega tau science & engineering podcast

Guest: Robert Hopkins Host: Markus Voelter Shownoter: Bastian Hundt

Throughout the cold war, and til today, the Cobra-codenamed ground, sea and air assets have been used by the US to monitor Soviet/Russian ICBM missile launches and warhead reentries. The air component consists of the RC-135 Cobra Ball/Eye aircraft. Flying from Shemya in the Aleutians they used cameras and other sensors. Our guest, Robert Hopkins has been flying the aircraft in the late 1980s. In this episode he tells us about the mission and the flying — Shemya could be quite challenging.

Robert is also the author of the book on the KC-135, you might want to check it out.

Introduction of Robert Hopkins

00:01:53

Cobra Ball | Cobra Eye | Ballistic Missile (ICBM) | Air Show

Overview of the Missions

00:03:38

Sputnik 1 | Ground Radar | Telemetry | Boeing B-47 | Electronic Warfare | KC-135 | RC-135 | Measurement and Signature Analysis | Shemya | Boost and Terminal Phase | Big Safari Program | Cobra Judi | Cobra Dane | Synthetic Aperture Radar | Reentry Vehicle

The KC-135

00:13:53

Boeing 707 | Infrared Sensor | National Technical Means (NTM) | SALT 2 Treaty | SS-20 | Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile | B-52 | Nuclear Verification | Rivot Joint | ELINT | COMINT | Desert Storm | Burning Wind Mission

Difference between Cobra Ball and Cobra Eye

00:23:58

Strategic Defense Initiative | Warhead | Bus / Penetration Aid | Rivot Amber Incident | TC-135 | J-57 Engine | TF-33 Turbofan Engine | CFM-56 / F-108 Engine

Lisa Ann Mission

00:30:33

Ballistic Framing Camera System | Multiple Reentry Vehicles

Flying, Operating and Living at Shemya

00:37:18

Rat Islands | Boeing Stratocruiser | Eielson Airbase | Red Flag | Air Refueling | Wind shear | EB-47 | Precision Approach Radar | Microwave Landing System | King Crab | Queen Match Program | Lockheed Electra | Boeing 727

The Cobra Mission

01:01:56

National Security Agency | SS-18 | Racetrack Pattern | Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty | Stellar Inertial Doppler System | Doppler-Shift | Looking Glas

The Book of Robert Hopkins

00:03:23

The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker: More Than a Tanker | Spyflights and Overflights

The End

01:27:23

Open-Source Information | OmegaTau Episode about the Sofia Telescope