The Cobra Ball is operated by the 55th Wing, and manned with aircrews from the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, and the 97th Intelligence Squadron, using various forward deployment locations worldwide.

Upon arriving at the squadron, we were told that Cobra Ball aircraft 61-2664 had crashed while attempting to land at Shemya AFB the previous night and that there had been fatalities.

You can monitor online the U.S. RC-135S Cobra ... Cobra Ball missile tracking aircraft. Based at Offutt Air Force Base, outside Omaha, Nebraska, and flown by the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron ...