EC-121D Constellation Operations in Vietnam

<p>The EC-121 Constellation's roots date back to WWII where they were responsible for transporting dignitaries equipment and personnel. However during the early sixties the USAF began to equip the EC-121D with radios electronic data collection equipment and airborne radar technology. The equipment added to the aircraft eventually created the predecessor to the E-3 Sentry the EC-121 Constellation also known as the Connie. This paper will focus on the Connie's operations primarily during the Big Eye Task Force in Southeast Asia from 4 April 1965 to 30 June 1968. In 1966 the task force officially changed designations by direction of Air Defense Command (ADC) to the College Eye Task Force. The College Eye Task Force provided command and control (C2) to more than 20000 aircraft involved in combat operations over North Vietnam and issued over 3297 Mikojan and Gurevich (MiG) and Chinese border warnings to assist fighter and bomber aircraft. In addition the Connie played a key role in the successful rescue of 80-downed aircrew1. Furthermore it is important to highlight EC-121D capabilities plus missions including 25 MiG shoot downs the Connie assisted in and the associated task force. This research covers Connie capabilities flying conditions deployments mission development significant contributions noteworthy missions finally compare EC-121D and E-3 Sentry crews operations in Operation DESERT STORM (ODS) to Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF).</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>