Boeing EC - 135 The Boeing EC - 135 was a command and control version of the C - 135 Stratolifter . Modified for Operation Looking Glass mission , during the Cold War , EC - 135 were airborne 24 hours a day to serve as flying command platforms for the military in the event of nuclear war . EC - 135N served as tracking aircraft for the Apollo space program . Missions . Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft . The Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft are EC - 135Bs modified C - 135 B cargo aircraft and EC - 18B ( former American Airlines 707 - 320 ) passenger aircraft that provided tracking and telemetry information to support the US space program in the late 1960s and early 1970s . During the early 1960s , NASA and the Department of Defense ( DoD ) needed a very mobile tracking and telemetry platform to support the Apollo space program and other unmanned space flight operations . In a joint project , NASA and the DoD contracted with the McDonnell Douglas and the Bendix Corporations to modify eight Boeing C - 135 Stratolifter cargo aircraft into Apollo / Range Instrumentation Aircraft ( A / RIA ) . Equipped with a steerable seven - foot antenna dish in its distinctive " Droop Snoot " or " Snoopy Nose " , the EC - 135N A / RIA became operational in January 1968 , and was often known as the Jimmy Durante of the Air Force . The Air Force Eastern Test Range at Patrick AFB , Florida , maintained and operated the A / RIA until the end of the Apollo program in 1972 , when the USAF renamed it the Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft ( ARIA ) . Transferred to the 4950th Test Wing at Wright - Patterson AFB , Ohio , in December 1975 as part of an overall consolidation of large test and evaluation aircraft , the ARIA fleet underwent numerous conversions - including a re - engining that changed the EC - 135N to the EC - 135E . In 1994 , the ARIA fleet relocated to Edwards AFB , California , as part of the 412th Test Wing . However , taskings for the ARIA dwindled because of high costs and improved satellite technology , and the USAF transferred the aircraft to other programs such as J - STARS . Over its thirty - two year career , the ARIA supported the United States space program , gathered telemetry , verified international treaties , and supported cruise missile , ballistic missile defense tests , and the Space Shuttle . Looking Glass . Officially known as " Operation Looking Glass " provided at least 11 EC - 135C command post aircraft to the Commander in Chief , Strategic Air Command ( CINCSAC ) , which were either based at its headquarters at Offutt AFB , Nebraska ( 1993 – 1998 ) Operated by the 34th Air Refueling Squadron ( 1961 - 1963 with EC - 135A ' s } , { 1963 - 1966 with EC - 135C ' s ) ; ( 38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron ( 1966 – 1970 ) ; 2d Airborne Command and Control Squadron ( 1970 – 1994 ) ; 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron ( 1994 – 1998 ) , Barksdale AFB , Louisiana operated by the 913th Air Refueling Squadron ( 1963 – 1970 ) , Ellsworth AFB , South Dakota operated by the 4th Airborne Command & Control Squadron ( Looking Glass , South Dakota , Wyoming , Montana missile silo coverage , Western Radio Relay 1970 - 1991 ) , Grissom AFB , Indiana operated by the 3d Airborne Command & Control Squadron ( Looking Glass 1970 - 1974 / Eastern Radio Relay 1970 - 199 - ) , or at Westover AFB , Massachusetts operated by the 99th Air Refueling Squadron ( 1963 – 1970 ) . Other EC - 135 Aircraft ( EC - 135A / EC - 135G / EC - 135L & Bases supporting the Looking Glass missions ( Communications Relay and Minuteman Airborne Missile Launch Centers ) were Minot AFB , North Dakota operated by the 906th Air Refueling Squadron ( 1963 – 1970 ) ( Note : Ellsworth AFB maintained EC - 135 aircraft on Satellite Alert at Minot AFB to cover the North Dakota missile silos ) , Grissom AFB , Indiana operated by the 70th Air Refueling Squadron ( 1975 – 1993 ) , Lockbourne AFB , Ohio operated by the 301st Air Refueling Squadron ( 1963 – 1970 Eastern Radio Relay ) . All aircraft have been retired or repurposed . The U . S . nuclear strategy depends on its ability to command , control , and communicate with its nuclear forces under all conditions . An essential element of that ability is Looking Glass ; its crew and staff ensure there is always an aircraft ready to direct bombers and missiles from the air should ground - based command centers be destroyed or rendered inoperable . Looking Glass is intended to guarantee that U . S . strategic forces will act only in the manner dictated by the President . It took the nickname " Looking Glass " because the mission mirrored ground - based command , control , and communications . Besides being the program name , " Looking Glass " is the official name for the " C " model aircraft of the EC - 135 . It has a crew of at least 15 , including at least one or more general officer s . The Strategic Air Command ( SAC ) began the Looking Glass mission on February 3 , 1961 and Looking Glass aircraft were continuously airborne 24 hours a day for over 29 years , accumulating more than 281 , 000 accident - free flying hours . On July 24 , 1990 , " The Glass " ceased continuous airborne alert , but remained on ground or airborne alert 24 hours a day . The EC - 135A flew the Command Post mission until EC - 135C were delivered starting in 1963 . The aircraft were delivered to Offutt AFB and as well as one aircraft to each of the Stateside Numbered Air Force Headquarters - Second Air Force at Barksdale AFB , LA ; Eighth Air Force at Westover AFB , MA ; and Fifteenth Air Force at March AFB CA . EC - 135 ' s flew all the missions except one , when an E - 4B was tested on an operational mission , flying a double sortie as the replacement aircraft could not launch due to weather . About a week after the flight , Washington deleted the funds for additional E - 4 aircraft . On June 1 , 1992 , SAC was inactivated and replaced by the United States Strategic Command , which now controls the Looking Glass . On October 1 , 1998 , the Navy ' s E - 6 Mercury TACAMO replaced the USAF ' s EC - 135C in the Looking Glass mission . Silk Purse . Operation Silk Purse program provided four EC - 135H command post aircraft to the Commander , U . S . European Command ( USEUCOM ) , which were based at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom . All four aircraft were subsequently retired . Scope Light . Operation Scope Light provided five EC - 135J / P command post aircraft to the Commander in Chief , U . S . Atlantic Command ( CINCLANT ) , which were based at Langley AFB , VA . All five aircraft were subsequently retired . Blue Eagle . Operation Blue Eagle provided five EC - 135J / P command post aircraft to the Commander in Chief , U . S . Pacific Command ( USCINCPAC ) , which were based at Hickam AFB , HI . All five aircraft were subsequently retired . Nightwatch . Operation Nightwatch provided three EC - 135J command post aircraft to the President of the United States which were based at Andrews AFB , MD . All three aircraft were transferred to other ABNCP missions . Nightwatch was initiated in the mid - 1960s utilizing the three EC - 135J aircraft , modified from KC - 135Bs , as command post aircraft . The three Nightwatch aircraft were ready to fly the President and the National Command Authority ( NCA ) out of Washington in the event of a nuclear attack . The E - 4 aircraft ( a modified Boeing 747 - 200 ) came on line with the Nightwatch program in 1974 replacing the EC - 135s on this mission .