The EC-121 “Warning Star” In The Navy
Me in front of the Lockheed EC-121T Warning Star
April 27, 2023
Did you know, the Lockheed EC-121 warning star is based off the Lockheed L-1049 which is a passenger plane? Hello, today I am talking about the EC-121 warning star, an Airborne Early Warning and Control plane. They were used to direct fighter planes using radar and radio.
The USAF used these more than the Navy, but I am talking about the Naval use. The US Navy used them the same way the airforce used them, to direct Fighters and bombers. The Navy used them to patrol the Pacific and the Atlantic, especially for reconnaissance against submarines.
In Vietnam, The EC-121 Crew would direct US Navy aircraft to attack Vietnamese bases. They also went to disrupt enemy communications. That was the only time they went into combat. They were used in the Vietnam War before they were retired.
In Topeka, Kansas at the Combat Air Museum, there is an EC-121T of the USAF. You can go inside of it too. A USAF one is similar to a US Navy version. When you go inside the EC-121 it looks like you went inside of an airport tower. I saw so many radar stations, a mapping table, and a radio station as well.
The EC-121’s Job was to direct aircraft to and from Aircraft carriers, and it served its job well. It was retired and replaced by the E-3 sentry, which would soon be replaced by the E-7 (a modified Boeing 737). Here is a link about how the Navy used them.
