Constant Phoenix Retired

摘要

The USAF has retired one of the only two WC-135 Constant Phoenix aircraft in its inventory. The WC-135, 62-3582, left Offutt AFB, Nebraska on November 16.Built as a KC-135 Stratotanker, the aircraft was first converted to an EC-135 Looking Glass before becoming a WC-135 'nuclear sniffer' in 1998. Assigned to the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, part of the 55th Wing, the Constant Phoenix was used to collect samples from the atmosphere for the purpose of detecting and identifying nuclear explosions.