OVERVIEW: The RC‑135V Rivet Joint is a U.S. Air Force strategic SIGINT reconnaissance aircraft, introduced in 1974. It is designed to intercept, analyze, and geolocate communications (COMINT) and non-communications (ELINT) electromagnetic emissions, providing theater-wide electronic order-of-battle and real-time threat intelligence.

DETAILS: Converted from the RC‑135C under Project Big Safari, the first RC‑135V entered service with the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB in 1974. It retains four CFM International F108‑CF‑201 turbofan engines, cruises at approximately 850 km/h (Mach ~0.66), operates up to around 15,200 m altitude, and has a range near 6,500 km.
The airframe is equipped with a comprehensive SIGINT suite, including chin fairings, wingtip pods, fuselage blade antennas, and conformal disc radomes. These are linked to digital receivers, direction-finding arrays, and signal processors capable of detecting, demodulating, and geolocating a wide range of radar and communication signals.
The crew includes pilots, navigators, electronic warfare officers, airborne systems engineers, and intelligence operators specializing in both ELINT and COMINT. Onboard analysts conduct real-time signal exploitation, enabling rapid dissemination of intelligence to tactical and strategic consumers.

TYPE: Strategic SIGINT Reconnaissance Aircraft

FUNCTION: Collects, classifies, and geolocates radar and communication emissions to build and update electronic orders of battle, support threat warning, and enable mission planning. Its long-endurance and in-flight processing capabilities allow persistent surveillance and near real-time intelligence dissemination.

NOTE:
IOC: 1974 (RC‑135V)
Manufacturer: Boeing (airframe); L3Harris (mission systems)
Operator: U.S. Air Force - 55th Wing, Offutt AFB
Conflict used in: Cold War operations, Balkans, Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, and global SIGINT missions

SOURCE: U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet - RC‑135V/W Rivet Joint: https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104608/rc-135vw-rivet-joint/ ; Air & Space Forces Magazine - Rivet Joint profile: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/weapons-platforms/rc-135v-w/ ; Boeing RC‑135 overview: https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/boeing-rc135/ ; GlobalSecurity.org - Rivet Joint overview: https://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/rivet_joint.htm