In 1983, the US Army received the first Beechcraft RC-12 Guardrail electronic reconnaissance aircraft. In the future, they have repeatedly undergone various upgrades, due to which they still remain in operation and retain high potential. However, in the near future, such equipment is planned to be removed from service due to moral and physical obsolescence.
Development processes
Since the early seventies, the Army Aviation and the US Air Force have actively operated military transport aircraft of the Beechcraft King Air family. At the end of the decade, on the basis of the U-21 modification, an electronic reconnaissance aircraft was even created, known as the Guardrail ("Fence") - after the installed electronics complex. In general, such a sample showed itself on a good side, but the platform used was considered outdated and in need of replacement.
In the early eighties, the development of a new RTR aircraft began on a newer base. The latter was a Beechcraft C-12 Huron aircraft. In 1983, 13 aircraft of this type were upgraded according to a new project and received a set of special equipment. After that, they were given the designation RC-12D Guardrail.
Subsequently, at intervals of several years, various modernization projects were created. The development of "Gardrail" was carried out in two main directions: the plane-platform was improved and in parallel new models of radio equipment were developed. In total, ten aircraft modifications were developed, including the base one and the export one.
The last modernization was carried out in the middle of the tenth years and allowed once again to get new opportunities, as well as to extend the service life. According to current plans, RC-12X will remain in service until 2025, after which they will have to be written off when the resource is developed. By that time, it is planned to create a new generation of RTR aircraft, which will take over all such work.
Airplane platform
The base C-12D Huron was an army twin-engined cargo-passenger low-wing aircraft based on the commercial Beechcraft Air King. Depending on the problem being solved, the crew could include up to five people; the cabin was able to accommodate 13 passengers or an equivalent load. The C-12H differed from previous modifications by an enlarged side door and other improvements aimed at optimizing transportation.
The aircraft had a length of 13.3 m with a wingspan of 16.6 m. The dry weight was approx. 3.5 tons, maximum take-off in the base modification - 5.7 tons. A pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-41 turboprop engines with a capacity of 850 hp each. allowed to develop a maximum speed of 536 km / h, cruising speed - 370 km / h. The practical range reached 3500 km.
During the restructuring into the RTR aircraft, the base "Huron" underwent some changes. Various blocks of electronic equipment were installed in the cockpit. A variety of antenna devices were mounted on the outer surfaces of the airframe. As the Fencing developed, the number and configuration of external antennas changed.
Curiously, there were no operator jobs on board the aircraft. The control of special equipment in all modifications of the RC-12 was carried out remotely from a ground point.
Target load
The first aircraft of the family, RC-12D, received the AN / USD-9 Improved Guardrail V reconnaissance complex, working together with the AN / TSQ-105 (V) 4 ground data processing complex and the AN / ARM-63 (V) 4 command post. According to known data, the Improved Guardrail V complex could detect radio signals in a wide frequency range, as well as determine their source and direction to it. The joint work of several RTR aircraft and the command post made it possible to calculate the location of the signal source with sufficient accuracy.
In 1983, according to the RC-12D project, 13 aircraft were converted for the American army. Then they made five more boards for the Israeli Air Force. According to known data, the RTR export complex was changed in accordance with the wishes of the customer, but retained all the functions and capabilities of the basic one.
The next project, RC-12G Crazyhorse, featured a new RTR complex that collects and issues intelligence in real time. Three C-12D aircraft received such equipment. The developments on this modification later found application in the following upgrades.
In 1988, the army received six new RC-12H aircraft. An advanced Guardrail / Common Sensor System 3 reconnaissance system was installed on them. It was a modified version of the AN / USD-9 (V) 2 product, supplemented by several new units. An AN / ALQ-162 jamming station and an AN / ALQ-156 defense complex also appeared on board.
Since 1991, ten RC-12K aircraft with an upgraded Guardrail / Common Sensor System 4 have been delivered. In addition, the "K" modification received more powerful engines, which made it possible to compensate for the increase in takeoff weight, increase the cruising speed to 460 km / h and improve others. flight characteristics.
By the middle of the decade, 15 aircraft of various modifications were rebuilt according to the RC-15N project. Improved cockpit equipment, new general aircraft systems and engines were used. Also, the RTR complex was updated for the next project of the Guardrail / Common Sensor System series. Later, nine of these machines underwent a new upgrade according to the RC-12P project. They received new instrumentation, modern communication facilities, etc. The P-aircraft could be distinguished from the previous aircraft by their smaller nacelles with wing-mounted instrumentation.
Since 1999, three RC-12Q aircraft have been in service. In terms of the composition of the equipment, they were similar to the previous modification "P", but differed in the installation of satellite communications. A new large antenna was placed on the roof of the fuselage under the characteristic fairing. The presence of satellite communications has increased the working radius of the complex.
In the 2000s, the RC-12X project was developed, in which a new version of the Guardrail / Common Sensor complex was used. The latter was reported to provide wider frequency range operation, more robustness to interference, and improved accuracy in locating signal sources.
In 2016, the last modification of the RC-12X + entered service. This project provided for the repair and extension of the service life of the platform aircraft with a minor upgrade of the RTR equipment. No fundamentally new features were reported. Judging by recent events and statements, the RC-12X + modification will remain the last and will no longer receive further development.
According to open data, the latest versions of RC-12 aircraft are designed to detect various radio signals and determine the location of their source. Such capabilities are used to identify air defense radar stations, headquarters and command posts, as well as other military infrastructure. The data on the location of radio transmission sources can be used to refine tactical maps or to organize strikes by any available forces and means, as well as for subsequent control of the results.
Deployment and Operation
The first 13 RC-12D aircraft were already in 1983-84. were distributed between several air bases in the United States and Germany, and 12 vehicles were sent to Europe. Subsequently, production and deployment continued. By the end of the decade, aircraft of all existing modifications appeared at airfields in the USA, Europe and South Korea.
Units were regularly transferred from one base to another, depending on the availability of reconnaissance tasks in a particular region. RTR aircraft were actively used both in preparation for military operations and directly during hostilities. This technique helped the troops to work effectively in Iraq, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, etc.
For obvious reasons, "Gardrails" regularly appear at the Russian borders. So, at the end of 2019, two RC-12X aircraft were transferred to Lithuania. From the Siauliai airfield, they can monitor the western regions of Russia, including the Kaliningrad region. What data about the Russian army has been collected over the past time, and how they will be used is unknown.
In the past, several dozen RC-12 aircraft of early modifications were built, later modernized according to new designs. At the moment in the composition of several squadrons there are only 19 machines of the late versions "X" and "X +". For now, they will continue to serve, but by 2025, the full depletion of the resource is expected, as a result of which the equipment will have to be written off. Work is already underway to create a new aviation complex with the same functions and higher performance.
Proven by practice
As special aircraft, the Beechcraft RC-12 Guardrail was not produced in large series. At the same time, and in limited quantities, they fully met the requirements and coped with the tasks set. Thanks to this, for several decades, the US Army was able to successfully collect data on a potential enemy. Constant modernization made it possible to extend the service life and increase the basic working capabilities.
However, the equipment cannot be used forever, and therefore the long-term operation of the "Gardrail" is coming to an end. In the next few years, we can expect some reduction in the RC-12X / X + fleet, and in the middle of the decade they will be completely abandoned. These planes will still have time to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the beginning of their service, but soon after that their story will end.
