Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-03-2004, 04:35 PM   #1
3 Rivet Member
 
LeeMo's Avatar
 
Acworth , Georgia
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 133
Images: 15
USAF "Silver Bullet" Mission

I thought I’d share an interesting Airstream “one-of-a-kind” story with everyone, and I think you will find it interesting. I stumbled on this by sheer accident.

As a member of the US Armed Forces, I travel to many different places, meet interesting people, and sometimes discover things I never would have dreamed about. On a recent visit to the 514th Communications Squadron at McGuire AFB, New Jersey, I received a briefing which mentioned a “Silver Bullet” mission which involved a modified Airstream trailer. Of course, this aroused my interests, so I asked for more details.

After some discussion, I was shuttled off and introduced to a young man named, Andrew Bennett, a 1st Lieutenant in the USAF. He was the officer in charge of the Airborne Communications Branch of the 621 Air Mobility Operations Squadron, which supports the “Silver Bullet” mission.

At first, he didn’t seem to really understand why I was so interested in the mission; but told me briefly what the mission was about, introduced me to his staff, and showed me a few pictures of his very “high visibility” mission. I quickly explained the reason for my enthusiasm and interest, and I introduced him to the AirstreamForums website as a testament to my following. With that, he offered to give me and my visiting staff a tour of the “Silver Bullet.”

As a new Airstream Motorhome owner and Forums subscriber, anything Airstream interest me; as an Air Force Communications and Information officer, anything gee-whiz, high-tech comm stuff can get my blood flowing as well. So this was a double-whammie for me to be touring an "Air Force Airstream Comm Mission"—Wowwww!!

At the designated time, our group showed up at a hangar where we were greeted by 1Lt Bennett who provided a walk-thru, guided tour. Here is some basic "UNCLASSIFIED" information about the mission that I’d like to share with everyone:

In 1991, the USAF Research Lab integrated a slightly modified Airstream trailer and a high-tech communications module together. The Airstream was sectioned into three separate modules and further modified for easy transport aboard US military aircraft; no wheels, no towing tongue, no topside environmental systems, no flammable fuel devices, and modified holding tanks. The unit is bolted and strapped down on standard Air Force cargo pallets for rapid and easy up/down load using standard Air Force Aerial Port loading systems. The “Silver Bullet” will only fit on specially modified C-17 Transport and KC-10 Tanker aircraft that are uniquely capable carrying and supporting the system.

As one would expect, the Airstream provides a variety of creature comforts such as a bathroom, shower, galley, sitting and sleeping areas. This USAF took it one step further by providing an integrated communications system capable of global reach, high-level, secure voice/data, and video teleconferencing. The transport aircraft are equipped with specialized communications interfaces to support the communications systems.

The capabilities of the “Silver Bullet” offer unique communications support and comfortable travel accommodations to high-ranking government officials and other very important persons. Some of the government executives have been the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Air Force, and a select few military commanders who use the capability more frequently to stay in touch with the White House; other recent distinguished guests include Drew Carey and Robin Williams, who traveled over to entertain and visit with our troops in Iraq and the Middle East.

There are two USAF “Silver Bullet” packages in existence; one at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, and one at Yokota Air Base, Japan. McGuire’s package is maintained by the 605th Air Maintenance Squadron, Special Missions Branch, and operated by the 621st Air Mobility Operations Squadron, Airborne Communications Branch. Yokota’s package is maintained and operated by the 730th Air Mobility Squadron.

Following are a few pictures of the USAF Silver Bullet Mission, compliments of 1Lt Bennett. Enjoy!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	hanger1.jpg
Views:	1449
Size:	68.9 KB
ID:	6368   Click image for larger version

Name:	KloaderSBullet.jpg
Views:	1790
Size:	59.0 KB
ID:	6369  

Click image for larger version

Name:	C-17SBullet.jpg
Views:	1123
Size:	88.7 KB
ID:	6370   Click image for larger version

Name:	SBulletInterior1.jpg
Views:	1127
Size:	66.1 KB
ID:	6371  

Click image for larger version

Name:	SbulletInterior2.jpg
Views:	1062
Size:	67.9 KB
ID:	6372  
__________________
LeeMo
1979 24' Excella Motorhome
LeeMo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-03-2004, 04:43 PM   #2
Rivet Master
 
ALANSD's Avatar

 
1966 26' Overlander
Woodstock , Georgia
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 8,525
thanks for that post Lee....it's great to see how our American icon is used by our military and others.Its like seeing the NASA motorhome and the shots of Kennedy and the Airstream trailers. Great stuff. Makes me proud to own one.
__________________
1966 overlander..sold
AIR #005
Please visit our blogs and web pages:
OUR AIRSTREAM PASSION! BLOG
RESTORING AN AIRSTREAM
retired!
ALANSD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-03-2004, 07:42 PM   #3
Rivet Master
 
Tin Hut's Avatar
 
2005 28' International CCD
Pagosa Springs , Colorado
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 811
Images: 1
Where's the $500 flamingo
__________________
"would you rather have a mansion full of money or a trailer full of love?"

Tin Hut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2004, 07:29 PM   #4
Rivet Master
 
robandzoe's Avatar
 
1958 30' Sovereign of the Road
Plymouth , New York
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,776
Images: 19
Send a message via Skype™ to robandzoe
AS Life article

Rich,

THis is the one that should get into Airstream Life...would be neat researched.

Rob
__________________
Rob, Zoe', Stanton, Bryce, Braedon and Finn Baker
Do you Listen to the www.theVAP.com
Plymouth, NY 13832
https://bakersacresofchenango.blogspot.com/
Courtesy parking
Flag Pole Holders - https://robsflagpoleholders.blogspot.com/

robandzoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2004, 06:04 AM   #5
Rivet Master
 
norbert's Avatar
 
1993 30' Excella
whitewater , north of cheddar curtain
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,259
Images: 24
one would surmise it is a 34 ft...eh?
__________________
Illegitimous noncarborundum(dont let the bastards wear you down)

The only true nobility is found through giving good food to your friends- Anton Careme

beauty is in the eye of the beerholder-cosmo fishhawk

if something is too good to be true, its usually gone before i get there-mister boffo
norbert is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2004, 01:04 PM   #6
qqq
4 Rivet Member
 
qqq's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 403
Images: 4
I remember a thread I started a year ago :"airstream comfort for generals" & I always wondered what it looked like.
Thanks for sharing those amazing pics. (they should know better, those straps & nets will harm the clearcoat )

Ron
qqq is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2004, 03:13 PM   #7
3 Rivet Member
 
LeeMo's Avatar
 
Acworth , Georgia
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 133
Images: 15
Smile Silver Bullet Golden Eggs

I like TinHut's suggestion about the $500 Flamingos. I need to practice my pitch....LOL.

Glad you all enjoyed these photos. It was a thrill for me to see this.

__________________
LeeMo
1979 24' Excella Motorhome
LeeMo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2005, 10:22 PM   #8
Rivet Master
 
53flyingcloud's Avatar
 
1984 29' Sovereign
Savannah , Missouri
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,478
Images: 17
Blog Entries: 1
Hmmm, no wheels for this~!
Did we get short changed here????
ciao
53FC....
__________________
WBCCI 5292 AIR 807
NEU #64
New England Unit
53flyingcloud is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2007, 05:18 PM   #9
3 Rivet Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 153
Cheney's Airstream

Did we all see the flying Airstream?

KRT Wire | 02/28/2007 | Spirit of Strom Thurmond carries Cheney into, out of hot spots - 29k - Mar 2, 2007
__________________
George Jr.
George Jr. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2007, 05:46 PM   #10
Rivet Master
 
CanoeStream's Avatar

 
2006 25' Safari FB SE
St. Cloud , Minnesota
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,280
Images: 19
Blog Entries: 3
Check out http://www.airforums.com/forum...ion-11165.html. BTW, it's not Cheney's (no politics intended...) but seen as former budget excess.

Few Google sources except: http://www.dtic.mil/descriptivesum/Y...e/0207423F.pdf
__________________
Bob

5 meter Langford Nahanni

CanoeStream is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2007, 06:00 PM   #11
Rivet Master
 
CanoeStream's Avatar

 
2006 25' Safari FB SE
St. Cloud , Minnesota
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,280
Images: 19
Blog Entries: 3
Okay, it's getting easier... Secretaries of Defense Gates & Perry mentioned:
21st AMOS, Silver Bullet bring command, control to sky
Gates Talks Tough on Iran -- TIME
ONE-ON-ONE
__________________
Bob

5 meter Langford Nahanni

CanoeStream is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2007, 08:13 PM   #12
Rivet Master
 
safari57's Avatar
 
1951 21' Flying Cloud
1960 24' Tradewind
West Coast , BC
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,790
Images: 10
Send a message via MSN to safari57
Impressive how creative people get with Airstreams. I wonder what other things are being done with them that we don't know about just due to circumstances of simply not being aware. I found this extremely interesting. I know in the fifites or sixties there were some used by senior government but this is about the neatest.

Thanks
Barry
safari57 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2007, 08:21 PM   #13
Remember, Safety Third
 
Jim & Susan's Avatar

 
1973 27' Overlander
Catfish Corners , Georgia
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,720
Images: 39
I seem to remember a pic around the forum someplace of JFK standing next to one in the southwest. I think it was going to be used for him to escape the heat or some such. Seems to be a lot of "specialty" trailers around, eh?

Jim
__________________
Solve for X, Or is it Y?

www.nesa.org
Air No. 6427
Jim & Susan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2007, 06:59 PM   #14
Rivet Master
 
Shacksman's Avatar
 
1960 28' Ambassador
Vintage Kin Owner
1998 25' Safari
Avonton , Ontario
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,331
If that's the army airstream, this must be the Airforce model.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Air flier.jpg
Views:	630
Size:	55.0 KB
ID:	45273  
__________________
Doug & Terry
VAC - TAC ON-1
60 Ambassador Int.
1950 Spartan
Shacksman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-14-2007, 08:07 AM   #15
Tom, the Uber Disney Fan
 
Minnie's Mate's Avatar
 
2006 30' Safari
Orlando , Florida
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,693
Images: 7
Maybe I'm blind, but what will the "Steel Eagle" be? Will they be Airstreams also?
__________________
2006 30' Safari - "Changes in Latitudes"
2008 F-250 Lariat Power Stroke Diesel Crew Cab SWB
Family of Disney Fanatics
WBCCI# 4821
https://streaminacrossamerica.com/
Minnie's Mate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-02-2008, 02:31 PM   #16
Tom, the Uber Disney Fan
 
Minnie's Mate's Avatar
 
2006 30' Safari
Orlando , Florida
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,693
Images: 7
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shacksman
If that's the army airstream, this must be the Airforce model.
BTW, I think the Airforce model needs new axles.
__________________
2006 30' Safari - "Changes in Latitudes"
2008 F-250 Lariat Power Stroke Diesel Crew Cab SWB
Family of Disney Fanatics
WBCCI# 4821
https://streaminacrossamerica.com/
Minnie's Mate is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
AirstreamForums.com Member Sticker? Andy R Our Community 171 06-08-2007 10:12 AM
AutoWeek Gets a Silver Bullet Mookie Airstream "In the News" 10 04-16-2007 10:17 AM
"THE" Letter !!!-Zoning violations discussions airstreamcaravel Title, VIN & Registration 108 01-06-2004 07:41 PM
International Tow Vehicle Hubba Our Community 18 10-30-2002 11:56 PM
Towing my 1964 Safari - what tow vehicle do I use Neenm Tow Vehicles 6 06-28-2002 04:26 PM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:27 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.