U.S. deploys aircraft for Bosnian broadcast mission
     WASHINGTON Sept. 11, 1997 -- The United States is sending three
 specialized aircraft to Bosnia in an attempt to curb the inflamma-
 tory rhetoric of Bosnian Serb television and radio, a Pentagon
 spokesman said Thursday.
     The EC-130E aircraft, which are capable of broadcasting and jam-
 ming local radio and television waves, will be accompanied by about
 120 personnel from a specialized Air Force National Guard unit in
 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, said spokesman Col. Richard Bridges.
     The deployment of the planes was requested by NATO commanders in
 Bosnia "in response to the perceived pattern of vehement rhetoric
 and incitement to violence" broadcast on Bosnian Serb television and
 radio, Bridges said.
     The planes, nicknamed "Commando Solo," will be based in Brindisi,
 Italy, and are slated to fly over Bosnia during this weekend's
 crucial round of municipal elections.
     The United Nations is to produce broadcasts that can be trans-
 mitted from the planes to the Bosnian people. The planes could also
 be used to jam Bosnian Serb broadcasts.
     One of the specially outfitted aircraft departed on Wednesday,
 but has been delayed by technical problems in Gander, Newfoundland.
 One was to depart Thursday, and a third on Friday, Bridges said.
     The EC-130E is a C-130 cargo plane that contains an airborne
 television station. The aircraft was used in Somalia and Haiti to
 relay announcements to local people or to interfere with radio
 broadcasts on the ground.
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                    C-130E Commando Solo
 Primary Function: Psychological operations broadcasts
 Builder: Lockheed
 Power Plant: Four Allison T56-A-15 Turboprop Engines
 Thrust: 4,910 shaft horsepower per engine
 Length: 100 ft 6 in
 Height: 38 ft 6 in (11.7 meters)
 Wingspan: 132 ft 7 in (40.4 meters)
 Speed: 299 mph
 Ceiling: 20,000 ft
 Maximum Takeoff Weight: 155,000 lbs.
 Range: 2,100-plus miles
 Crew: Four officers (pilot, copilot, navigator, mission control
 chief/EWO); seven enlisted (flight engineer, loadmaster, five
 mission crew)
 Date Deployed: 1992
 Unit Flyaway Cost: More than $70 million
 Air Force Mission: Commando Solo conducts psychological operations
 and civil affairs broadcast missions in the standard AM, FM, HF, TV
 and military communications bands. Missions are flown at maximum
 altitudes possible to ensure optimum propagation patterns. The
 EC-130E flies during either day or night scenarios with equal suc-
 cess, and is air refuelable. A typical mission consists of a single-
 ship orbit which is offset from the desired target audience. The
 targets may be either military or civilian personnel.
 Secondary missions include command and control communications coun-
 termeasures (C3CM) and limited intelligence gathering.
 Air Force Features: Highly specialized modifications have been made
 to the latest version of the EC-130 (Commando Solo). Included in
 these modifications are enhanced navigation systems, self-protection
 equipment, and the capability of broadcasting color television on a
 multitude of worldwide standards throughout the TV VHF/UHF ranges.
 Air Force (ANG) Inventory: 6
 Air Force Background: Air National Guard EC-130E aircraft flown by
 the 193rd Special Operations Group (now the 193rd Special Operations
 Wing) were deployed to both Saudi Arabia and Turkey in support of
 DESERT STORM. Their missions included broadcasts of "Voice of the
 Gulf," and other programs intended to convince Iraqi soldiers to
 surrender.
     The EC-130E was originally modified using the mission electronic
 equipment from the EC-121, known at the time as the Coronet Solo.
 Soon after the 193rd SOG received its EC-130Es, the unit participated
 in the rescue of US citizens in Operation Urgent Fury, acting as an
 airborne radio station informing those people on Grenada of the US
 military action.
     Commando Solo was instrumental in the success of coordinated
 psychological operations in Operation JUST CAUSE, again broadcasting
 continuously throughout the initial phases of the operation to help
 end the Noriega regime.
     Most recently, in 1994, Commando Solo was utilized to broadcast
 radio and television messages to the citizens and leaders of Haiti
 during Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY. The EC-130's deployed early in
 the operation, highlighting the importance of PSYOP in avoiding
 military and civilian casualties. President Aristide was featured
 on the broadcasts which contributed significantly to the orderly
 transition from military rule to democracy.
     In 1990 the EC-130E joined the newly formed Air Force Special
 Operations Command and has since been designated Commando Solo, with
 no change in mission. This one-of-a-kind aircraft is consistently
 improving its capabilities. The next few years should see continued
 enhancements to the EC-130E and its worldwide mission.
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