HEAVILY MODIFIED King Air! U.S Army Beech RC-12X Guardrail departing Montreal (YUL/CYUL)

What a unique aircraft! I have never heard of the RC-12 Guardrail until now, but I am so happy to have seen it. This aircraft truly is fitted with so much extras!
The Beechcraft RC-12X Guardrail is a heavily modified version of the
B200 Super King air operated exclusively by the U.S Army.
The aircraft is used as a signal intelligence (SIGINT), this means it is able to gather intelligence by picking up any signals (communication or electronic) and deliver them in real time to troops on the ground, they are a support asset for the army. This is why the aircraft has many different sensors, antennas etc.. on the fuselage.
The RC-12 entered service in 1983, there are an estimate of 10-15 RC-12's currently in service but this is unconfirmed.
I am not sure the exact reason for the visit to Montreal, but it stayed overnight before departing to Thunder Bay, Ontario.
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ATC Included!
Airport: Montreal's Pierre Elliot Trudeau Intl airport - YUL/CYUL
Airline: United States Army
Aircraft: Beechcraft RC-12X Guardrail (BE20)
Flight: GREY22
Callsign: Grey 22
Registration: 88-00325
Runways used: 24R
Date: March 5 2023
Stop Over: Thunder Bay - YQT
Destination: Des Moines - DSM
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This is not your video, please do not use, download or re-publish without my permission or consent.
© CYUL Plane Spotter / © Mark Brandon
All rights reserved Mark Brandon 2023

[@richbellino3894]

I was a design engineer at Beech in Wichita from 1981 to 1984. I worked on the installation design of some of the internal systems in this aircraft. Beech did not design or build the electronics, just installed them in the airframe for the military. This one looks like they have added a number of new items that were not on the version I worked on back in the early '80s.

[@sanddabz5635]

Cool!

[@NoGoodHandlesComingToMind]

Are the vertical stabilizers extending from the horizontal stabilizers to compensate for the extra weight on the end of the wings or is it for better rudder authority for if an engine fails if/when fired upon?

[@highlanderknightkt5619]

Hubby - Army aviator - field tested the first batch of these EW platforms at Moffitt NAS back in '88, then ferried them over to ROK after that, remained in country to fly the missions, etc. I am Intel myself and very familiar with this EW platform, etc..........Yes, since the first platforms were developed and flew over to ROK, they have done some upgrades, etc.........

[@JakesAviation]

Wow what a catch!! Such a unique bird!!

[@UNITED38Heavy]

This exact airframe flew from SWF that day, they came to our FBO which was awesome. Friendly pilots, they showed us what they legally could disclose about the aircraft without going into classified specifics. Probably the coolest KingAir out there!

[@TheHDAviation]

Super cool catch, that's one mean looking King Air!

[@RonMontagueSWRR]

I saw those in Taszar, Hungary back in 95 during the Bosnia deployment.

[@jcee2259]

My late father would agree the Beech aircraft products are worth the price. But being dead he'd earned his wings to do good work without any Breech.

[@orgcoast5990]

Suggestion: At the front end of your videos you usually include some text re the aircraft. Please leave that text up a little longer; I'm not able to read it fast enough to get it all. Love your vids.

[@MarkBrandonAviation]

Thank you for this suggestion. I will keep this in mind!

[@pidow]

That is what pause is for. Keep the way it is. I'm here to see planes, not texts.

[@orgcoast5990]

@@pidow Not sure what 'pause' would do to help. I too like planes but also their description and where they are. Why is that a problem?

[@orgcoast5990]

To add to my reply so you don't think I'm a total jerk: I watch on my bit screen TV. Pausing does not work all that well hence my suggestion.

[@Chuck59ish]

Gonna have to watch what you on your cell phone, they'll be listening in

[@hoseman317]

They already do monitor cell phones for years

[@Chuck59ish]

@@hoseman317 Yeah but now they pick out key words in the conversations and the police show up at your door.

[@sanddabz5635]

@@Chuck59ish They have already monitored what you have just written here and are on the way to your front door now.

[@Chuck59ish]

@@sanddabz5635 Good , I need visitors.

[@sanddabz5635]

@@Chuck59ish Knock Knock😆

[@highlanderknightkt5619]

My hubby - Army aviator - field tested and flew over the first of the RC-12s to ROK in 1988......they were tested in California (Moffett NAS) for several months before being flowing to ROK to replace the RU-21s platform for ELINT/SIGINT. Then he remained in country (ROK) for further mission flying with this EW platform. It is awesome to say the least - I am personally Intel so very familiar with all of this, etc.

[@jamespotter4690]

I probably know your husband having been part of the ferry crew and fielding team for the H models. James Potter

[@highlanderknightkt5619]

@@jamespotter4690 Yep, you sure do. You were on his a/c. Do you recall/remember that when you all stopped on Guam you told the Squids there that you all were CIA? LOL

[@JelmersAviation]

Fantastic video man!

[@RGB06084]

Nice catch Mark!

[@RLVIDEOS2024]

*Súper catch*

[@Miftahjaya96]

nice video friend

[@AlexPraglowskiAviation]

"Parasite drag? What's that?"

[@sanddabz5635]

It's where the hookers hangout in Philly.

[@thearmyflyer4905]

I notice it has the napalm variant tanks on the side for combat assault tactics