Boeing 767-200 Airborne Surveillance Testbed (AST)

[hesham]

Hi,

I can't ID this Boeing aircraft.

 

[flateric]

Boeing 767-200 Airborne Surveillance Testbed (AST), N767BA
http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/ast.htm

 

[Triton]

According to the Goleta Air & Space Museum, the aircraft was stored at the Southern California Air Logistics Center in Victorville, CA on September 20, 2003. It looks more like it was abandoned there to me.

Source:
http://air-and-space.com/20050617%20Victorville.htm

 

[Triton]

Photographs of the Boeing 767-200 Airborne Surveillance Testbed (AST), N767BA.

Source:
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/hito_gata_21/folder/544238.html?m=lc&p=3

 

[aim9xray]

My recollection is that the aircraft was scrapped at VCV within the last three or four years. The FAA database reports that it was deregistered on 16 April 2007.

Other images may be found at:

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=N767BA

http://jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?regsearch=N767BA

 

[fredymac]

Found this video on the AOA. Seems like technological progress is always lagging behind expectations except in the field of electronics/software. The description of the focal plane array and the signal processing is almost funny. The functionality that was spread over the top of the 767 can now be packed into a single rack (albeit crammed with a lot of boards). The STSS and the SBIRS satellites may be able to carry out a lot of what AOA was doing.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz_kzNKLQZ8

 

[Orionfield]

I am working on decals for a 3D printed 1/400 version I made, but I am having a hell of a time figuring out what seals/command emblems are on the side of the fuselage. I have yet to find a list, or a clear enough picture to find all of them. If anyone could shed some light on this, it would be much appreciated.

 

[hesham]

I am working on decals for a 3D printed 1/400 version I made, but I am having a hell of a time figuring out what seals/command emblems are on the side of the fuselage. I have yet to find a list, or a clear enough picture to find all of them. If anyone could shed some light on this, it would be much appreciated.

Here,

https://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/ast.htm

 

[Orionfield]

I am working on decals for a 3D printed 1/400 version I made, but I am having a hell of a time figuring out what seals/command emblems are on the side of the fuselage. I have yet to find a list, or a clear enough picture to find all of them. If anyone could shed some light on this, it would be much appreciated.

Here,

https://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/ast.htm

Hesham, maybe I'm missing something, but I didn't see anything about the markings in that article, or any photos whatsoever.

 

[quellish]

"Status of Airborne O@icalAdjunct and Terminal Imaging Radar"
https://www.gao.gov/assets/nsiad-86-153.pdf
"The Fabrication Of The Airborne Optical Adjunct (A0A) Mirrors"
https://biomedicaloptics.spiedigita...nct-A0A-Mirrors/10.1117/12.955583.short?SSO=1
"Boeing Airborne Optical Adjunct Experiment Brochure 1980s"
https://theairchive.net/boeing-airborne-optical-adjunct-experiment-brochure/
Fun fact: Original name was to be Airborne Optical Platform, name was changed due to arms control concerns.

Fun fact 2: It was originally going to be a HALE UAV with 12-24 hours endurance.

 

[GeorgeA]

Fun fact 2: It was originally going to be a HALE UAV with 12-24 hours endurance.

The Boeing design had four pusher turboprops, 100,000+ lb. MTOW, a wingspan of about 250 ft., and had the AOA-style LWIR cupola. The other design, which IIRC was from McD-D, was a twin-tail twin-turbofan configuration with a slightly different sensor arrangement.

See AW&ST 7/2/84 p. 47 for the images.

 

[Sportsad60]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I was employed at Boeing between 1979 and 2018 (when I retired) The AOA was one of many projects I was associated with.

In my garage, this framed photo. (Apologies for the Primer Green backgeound reflection). I was a CATIA 3 NC Programmer during this project.

 

[isayyo2]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I was employed at Boeing between 1979 and 2018 (when I retired) The AOA was one of many projects I was associated with.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[hesham]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I was employed at Boeing between 1979 and 2018 (when I retired) The AOA was one of many projects I was associated with.

In my garage, this framed photo. (Apologies for the Primer Green backgeound reflection). I was a CATIA 3 NC Programmer during this project.

Welcome aboard Sportsad60,and we glad to hear this,and I hope to help us in unknown projects
to Boeing in that period.