Boeing OC-135B Open Skies
Boeing · United States · first flew 1961 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Boeing OC-135B Open Skies is a specially configured aerial reconnaissance and observation aircraft operated by the USAF under the Treaty on Open Skies, designed to conduct unarmed surveillance overflights of treaty signatory nations to promote transparency and confidence in arms control verification.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Distinctive optical camera windows in the lower fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Treaty-mandated aerial observation aircraft based on Boeing 707 airframe
- Distinctive optical camera windows in the lower fuselage
- Operated under the Open Skies Treaty for international arms verification
Externally similar to a C-135/707 airliner but distinguished by the large camera window installations in the lower fuselage and the distinctive antenna configurations added for the treaty observation role.
Specifications
- The Boeing OC-135B Open Skies has a length of 41.53 m (136 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 39.88 m (131 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 966 km/h (600 mph).
- Typical crew: 35 (crew + observers).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Open Skies Treaty, signed in 1992, requires signatory states to allow overflights by other parties using approved sensor systems. The USAF modified three WC-135 airframes (themselves derived from the Boeing 707/C-135 family) as OC-135Bs with optical cameras of specified resolution for this treaty role.
Variants
The OC-135B is the sole USAF Open Skies configuration; Russia operated the Tupolev Tu-154M Lk-1 and Antonov An-30B for equivalent purposes under the treaty.
Where you'll see it
The OC-135B served with the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, conducting Open Skies observation flights over Russia and other signatories until the United States withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty in November 2020.
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