The E-8C is essentially a modified, second hand Boeing 707-300 series airliner. The E-8 carries a specialized radar, specialized communications equipment and operations and control subsystems too. Look for the 40 ft (12 m) canoe-shaped radome under the forward fuselage. It houses a 24 ft (7.3 m) side-looking APY-7 phased array antenna that is used to track both armored and “unmounted” troop movements on the ground. JSTAR stands for Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System.

Notice the B-52s in the background.

I really enjoy watching this guy’s videos. I love being able to see from the pilot’s eye view all of the things that I’ll never really get to see in my lifetime. That scene where they’re landing in the rain is super gnarly.

60-061 “Die Laughin’ Jester” 307th Bomb Wing CO ship – Boeing B-52H Stratofortress BUFF, a photo by AV8PIX Christopher Ebdon on Flickr.

This is a B-52 Stratofortress. It was designed and built by Boeing and has been in operation with the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The design is well, unique, and Air Force personnel refer to the plane as BUFF (Big Ugly Fat/Flying Fucker/Fellow).

Despite having been in service since 1955, thanks to continuous upgrades and its low cost of operation the BUFF is expected to continue to server into the 2040s.

434th STF Airmen witness in-flight refueling mission, a photo by Official U.S. Air Force on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
A C-17 Globemaster III from the 437th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., approaches one of the 434th Air Refueling Wing’s KC-135R Stratotankers during an in-flight refueling mission on Oct. 27, 2010. Members of the 434th Seasoning Training Flight were onboard to witness the mission first-hand. The 434th STF is part of the Air Force Reserve Command’s Seasoning Training Program, which is designed to build a ready force by allowing recent technical training school graduates to voluntarily remain on active duty for on-the-job training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Basic Melanie Palton)