The military VIP’s “Silver Bullet”, traveling in style (18 Photos)

The military VIP’s “Silver Bullet”, traveling in style (18 Photos)

 

Back in the early 1990’s the United States Air Force (USAF) was tasked with a mission to develop an airborne mobile command center which could provide a long-range transportation and global communications capability for use by travelling VIP’s. This Distinguished Visitor (DV) program required that the USAF create a command and control module (CCM) that can quickly and easily be loaded on to a variety of different military transport aircraft – like the C-141, C-17, KC-10, KC-135 & C-130 – and be rapidly dispatched to any theatre of operations. Although a number of bespoke solutions were offered at the time, the provisional (and by far the cheapest) option was a palletized 36-foot Airstream travel trailer with an embedded communications suite. This asset package – designated as the “C2″ in military parlance – came to be known as the “Silver Bullet.”

 

 

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates’ delegation works aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, based out of Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., en route to Baghdad, Iraq, July 28, 2009.

U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison

Two Silver Bullets were developed by the Air Force Research Laboratories, one was deployed at McGuire and the other at Yokota Air Base, Japan (both are now located at McGuire). Outfitted with a travelling office, a small bed, a desk, UHF/VHF communications, a satellite voice and data (SIPRNET/NIPRNET) communications suite and three USAF personnel (one operator and two flight attendants), the Silver Bullet accompanies the vice president, secretary of defense, secretary of state, chairman, joint chiefs of staff, members of Congress and combat commanders on any mission deemed too risky to undertake with a regular passenger aircraft. Maintaining a direct line of communication to the Pentagon whilst cruising at 400 knots (460mph) at a height of 30,000 feet poses particular challenges, but the USAF is more than equal to the task.

 

 

The Airstream “Silver Bullet” is built in 3 sections. Each section is permanently mounted on 12-foot long airdrop pallets. All axles, wheels, holding tanks and other core systems (LP, AC, etc.) have been removed. Because the module is not FAA certified for occupancy during takeoff or landing, the DV’s can only enter the C2 once the transport aircraft becomes airborne, and after an interphone contact with the cockpit has been established. once the unit is hooked up to shore power the C2 module can be populated with up to 10 personnel. The CCM even includes an Emergency Passenger Oxygen System (EPOS) for all the occupants in the event of a loss of cabin pressurization.

 

 

Barely a week after Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta took office (in early July, 2011) he travelled to both Afghanistan (Camp Eggers and Camp Dwyer) and Iraq (Camp Victory) and got to experience the Silver Bullet – this time installed on a C-17 Globemaster – for himself. one can but wonder what Panetta thought of his first outing in what is probably the fastest flying travel trailer in history.