From: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V5 #324 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu Precedence: bulk Skunk Works Digest Wednesday, 5 July 1995 Volume 05 : Number 324 In this issue: More ARGUS info request for the ufo warning See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the skunk-works or skunk-works-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Tue, 4 Jul 1995 08:44:12 -0400 (EDT) Subject: More ARGUS I just checked into the Phillips Laboratory WWW server at Kirtland AFB, NM, and found the following, interesting info: "ARGUS PROGRAM -- An airborne optical data collecting system based on a modified NC-135E aircraft to support a wide variety of testing, including observations of missile plumes, reentry vehicles, and space-related events. Contractors: In-house, many. Status: Operational and advanced development." This means, that one of the three ex C-135E (60-0372, 60-0375, or 60-0376) with TF33-PW-102 engines is now (as of July 1994) used at Kirtland AFB, NM, replacing the original ARGUS platform NC-135A (60-0371). 60-0372 was in 1987/88 modified by MDD as Airborne Laser Communications Testbed and became the first NC-135E. 60-0376 was reconfigured in 1972/73 as a staff aircraft, after it was used for Airborne Astrographic Camera Testing, and was/is assigned to the 552nd AW&CW/OG, 8th ADCC, at Tinker AFB, OK. The ARGUS fact sheet (see below) includes a low-resolution gif-file of the current ARGUS aircraft, which shows the TF33 turbofans, and viewer windows and antennas than 60-0371 had. The last digit of the tail number could be a '5' or maybe a '6', but the low resolution doesn't permit a sure identification. I guess it is 60-0375, and I guess I will give them a call, and just ask. Here is the fact sheet for their ARGUS, dated July 1994: - --- Begin of File --- ARGUS Fact Sheet United States Air Force AIR FORCE MATERIEL COMMAND Office of Public Affairs, Phillips Laboratory 3550 Aberdeen Ave SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5776 Argus is an Air Force Materiel Command airborne asset available for classified and unclassified missions. It is a modified C-135E, operated by the Air Force Phillips Laboratory's Flight Test Branch. It can deploy worldwide, is capable of reaching altitudes of 50,000 feet, flight times as long as 13 and 1/2 hours, and can use runways as short as 7,000 feet. The "all blue suit" flight and operations crew allow it to be one of the most inexpensive airborne testbeds ($3,500 to $4,000 per flight hour). Typical missions cost from $1,000 to $4,000. Electro-optical sensors are installed to cover the spectral range from ultraviolet, through visible, to Long-Wave InfraRed. Argus' modular design allows for the capability to install customer-supplied sensors and/or configure the sensors to optimize for the customer's requirements. The existing sensors collect radiometric imagery, spectroscopic data, and atmospheric turbulence measurements. Argus' electro-optical sensors can track targets manually from preloaded track files, automatically using radar data uplinked to Argus, or automatically using optical tracking capabilities. Argus has the latest radios using data and voice encryption techniques, and Global Positioning System is used for precise navigation and timing. Either video, analog, or digital results are available as data products. Argus' sensors are fully calibrated end-to-end using National Institute of Standards and Technology traceable equipment and facilities. For questions concerning Argus contact Major Dunning Idle or Captain Robert A. Apodaca at (505) 846-5049, 846-1903, or fax 846-5051 (DSN 246). (Current as of July 1994) - --- End of File --- I do wonder, which part of the ARGUS electro-optical system was modified for an RPV and flown on the AQM-34 Firebee. - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Kean Stump Date: Tue, 04 Jul 1995 13:46:04 PDT Subject: info request for the ufo warning What other resoureces are available for those who wish to discuss ufo's, the paranormal and all that? If I'm going to warn people off, it only seems fair to tell them where they can go, if they choose 8) Mailing lists and newsgroups are what I'm interested in. Irc stuff can go hang... kean (who thinks it's a shame to be working on the 4th; beautiful sunny day out) Kean Stump Information Services kean@ucs.orst.edu Oregon State University OSU doesn't pay me to have official opinions. (503)-737-4740 ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V5 #324 ********************************* To subscribe to skunk-works-digest, send the command: subscribe skunk-works-digest in the body of a message to "majordomo@mail.orst.edu". If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe "local-skunk-works": subscribe skunk-works-digest local-skunk-works@your.domain.net To unsubscribe, send mail to the same address, with the command: unsubscribe skunk-works-digest in the body. 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