"Commando Solo" - the plane of psychological warfare

2024 Author: Matthew Elmers | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:49

In the local conflicts of the last decade with the participation of the United States, the role of special operations, aimed at demoralizing enemy troops and the civilian population, has significantly increased. The result was achieved by purposeful influence on the consciousness and way of thinking of people. Such operations are called psychological warfare.

The way of thinking of a modern person is highly dependent on the mass media: television, radio, print media. Therefore, when creating the means of conducting psychological warfare, it is on them that the stake is placed. That is, the main weapon of "operations of influence" is radio and television transmitters installed on mobile devices. Of the latter, the most flexible and convenient was the specialized aircraft. He is able to quickly arrive in the desired region and operate autonomously there for a long time, has a powerful power plant, part of the energy of which can be used to power electronic equipment. And most importantly, operating from a great height, it is not only a "winged TV and radio studio", but also a "flying antenna" that provides good signal coverage even in very rough terrain.

Such specialized aircraft appeared in the late 1980s in the United States. The most popular "transport" C-130 "Hercules" was chosen as the carrier of the Air Force, on the basis of the C-130E model, "flying command posts" and electronic reconnaissance aircraft had already been created by that time. All three modifications received the same designation - EC-130E ("E" according to the American indexing system indicates "aircraft with special electronic equipment").

They can be distinguished only by additional indexes: the control plane is designated EC-130E ABCCS (8 aircraft were built). The "winged propagandist" received the EC-130E RR index and the popular name "Rivet Raider", but it did not take root and soon changed everywhere (including at the official level) - first to "Volant Solo", and then to the Commando Solo.

According to the crews, the latter better reflects the specifics of the application: "commando" indicates belonging to the special operations forces, and "solo" - that the aircraft always operates alone.

The transport aircraft as an "electronic" aircraft is good because it has large internal volumes and a hefty power reserve of the power plant. The spacious fuselage can accommodate a wide range of equipment and provide comfortable working conditions for the service personnel, and the power reserve can be used to generate electricity for very "voracious" transmitting stations (both jamming and broadcasting).

In the mid-90s, the EC-130E RR underwent several upgrades and, in its current version, "Commando Solo II" has a set of equipment for broadcasting in a wide spectrum of frequencies and broadcasting TV programs in the worldwide color WWCTV format. Six transmitters operating in the 450 kHz to 350 MHz range transmit signals using 9 transmitting antennas installed throughout the aircraft.

Thus, a longitudinal wire antenna above the fuselage provides maximum radio broadcasting power in the lateral directions, and a set of four television antennas on the keel - downward. The variable-length transceiver antenna produced from the tail cock is designed for particularly precise adjustment of the signal parameters - in particular, the quality of the "picture" on TV screens strongly depends on this.

Eight radio receivers operate in an even wider range - from 200 kHz to 1000 MHz. The radiation caught by them is fed to 4 frequency spectrum analyzers, which determine the parameters of the received signals and make it possible to tune their own transmissions with high accuracy to the frequency of the enemy's radio and television centers.

The equipment also includes two communication radio stations (AN / ARC-186 and AN / ARC-164) with the KY-58 security equipment and the direction finding system of the enemy's working stations. As a defensive means, the aircraft is equipped with AN / AAR-47 radar warning equipment with a trap firing system to protect against missiles with both thermal and radar homing heads, and AN / ALQ-157 infrared jammers.

The crew consists of two pilots, a navigator, an officer - the head of the operation and seven specialists: an engineer, an electronic equipment specialist and five operators.

As a rule, "Commando Solos" arrived in the zone of impending conflict even before the beginning of the military phase in order to determine, in a calm atmosphere, the operating frequencies of the enemy's military communication lines and broadcast television and radio stations. After studying local problems, a general strategy of psychological operations was formed, and specific transmissions aimed at specific social groups were prepared in ground-based studios. They were then broadcast in all languages spoken in the region.

Commando Solos usually broadcast from maximum altitude, flying in a closed elliptical path. This achieves the best signal coverage, as the most powerful radiation is directed downward and away from the aircraft. In the event of possible fire resistance, the broadcast zones were located along the borders, out of the reach of air defense systems (Yugoslavia, Iraq). In the absence of a threat (Panama, Haiti, Afghanistan), the aircraft operated directly over the territory of the country.

"Commando Solo" - the plane of psychological warfare

Having occupied an echelon in the zone, the ES-130E turns on the receivers and releases the tail antenna. After fine tuning to the bands used by the army, local radio and television, Commando Solo begins broadcasting its own programs, and on several waves at once. Broadcasting is live, recorded or relayed - as one of the officers of the 193rd Squadron said, "we can receive the President's speech from the White House via satellite and immediately broadcast it live."

The press has not been forgotten either - leaflets are dropped over densely populated areas. In-flight refueling equipment allows you to stay above the broadcasting area for 10-12 hours continuously.

During its existence, the 193rd Squadron managed to "work" on most of the known "hot spots". For the first time, its "flying television centers" were going to be used against Iran during the release of hostages from the seized embassy, but due to a breakdown at the initial stage, the operation was canceled. But in Desert Storm. The EU-130E was already processing Iraqis from two sides at the same time - from Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Their programs, known as the "Voice of the Persian Gulf", contributed to the mass surrender of Saddam Hussein's soldiers.

In 1994, Commando Solos were used during the Democracy Support Operation in Haiti, broadcasting to the civilian population. "Psychological operations" with the participation of the EU-130E were also carried out in Grenada, Panama, Yugoslavia and Kosovo.

In Afghanistan, Commando Solos have launched a battle for the minds of Afghans since Saturday 20 October, after two weeks of intense bombing. In the programs between music and news, thoughts about the inevitable defeat of the Taliban and requests to stay away from their positions and military objectives were subtly introduced. But on-board television transmitters remained unused here - the Taliban banned television back in 1996 as contrary to the Koran.

The effectiveness of radio propaganda can be indirectly estimated by the speed of the defeat of the Taliban: in a week of ground operation, they lost the capital and 25 provinces out of 30, and two weeks later remained only in caves, and this was not too active attacks by ten times smaller troops of the Northern Alliance!

In addition to its direct purpose of conducting psychological operations, the EC-130E can be used as an electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft, to disrupt the operation of enemy communication systems, television and radio broadcasting.

Aircraft "Commando Solo" may well be used for purely civilian purposes - providing local broadcasting in the event of natural disasters and catastrophes, bringing instructions and recommendations for evacuation to the affected population, etc., temporarily replacing regional mass media or expanding the spectrum of their broadcasting …

In 1998, the USA decided to replenish the fleet of the 193rd Squadron, which at that time consisted of 4 EC-130E RR Commando Solo II (serial numbers 63-7828, 63-7869, 63-9816, 63-9817).

On the basis of the new generation "Hercules" - C-130J, which received new highly efficient engines and state-of-the-art avionics, two more aircraft were ordered for "psychological operations". The first EC-130J RR was received in 2000, the second in 2001. The third was ordered in 1999 with a delivery date in 2002.

As the experience of use has shown, the practically unarmed (in the generally accepted sense) "Commando Solo" in their combat effectiveness turned out to be more abruptly than strategic bombers. Bombs from B-1, B-52 and even ultra-modern and fabulously expensive B-2 simply killed soldiers and officers, which they quickly get used to in war. The transmissions of the EU-130E crushed the most important thing - faith in the goal of the struggle and in the coming victory, without which any army loses its will to resist.

Squadron 193 is also armed with four EC-130 (CL) ("Comfi Levi") aircraft - some of the most secret Air Force aircraft known as "Senior Hunter", "Senior Scout" and "Comfi Levi". One of these aircraft was shown publicly only once - at the Paris Air Show in 1993. At the same time, its official purpose was indicated - radio interception and jamming of enemy radio communications. 193 Squadron supplies only EC-130 (CL) flight crews, while radio warfare specialists are assigned by the Electronic Security Command stationed at Fort Mead. The same command is responsible for decrypting and analyzing intercepted messages. It is reported that the EC-130 (CL) aircraft are ferried to Andrews airbase almost before each mission, where special equipment is installed on them, which is dismantled there after the flight.