Jun 8, 2021 · The photos seen in this post, which give us a near-perfect look at this almost grotesque 737 adaptation, were taken during an escorted media visit to Edwards Air Force …

Mar 30, 2021 · When it comes to shy aircraft that we know exist, the Air Force’s wildly modified NT-43A flying signature measurement aircraft, known by its callsign “RAT 55,” really takes the cake. The nearly 50-year-old aircraft has no definitive home.

Feb 19, 2015 · The USAF's secretive NT-43A testbed is a highly modified 737-200 that goes far beyond ground-based radar and infrared signature testing on stealthy aircraft by plying its trade high up in the...

Jun 3, 2022 · The Air Force’s wildly modified NT-43, better known by its callsign, ‘RAT55,’ just made a rare flight outside its usual highly-defined operational confines. You see, RAT55 isn’t just the strangest 737 flying, it’s also the shyest.

The Boeing T-43 is a retired modified Boeing 737-200 that was used by the United States Air Force for training navigators, now known as USAF combat systems officers, from 1973 to 2010.

Mar 5, 2025 · Recently, the U.S. Air Force's famous "RAT55", a massively modified NT-43 special plane, left its normally highly classified testing area for a rare flight mission. Not only is the RAT55 the strangest Boeing 737, it's also the most mysterious.

Apr 1, 2021 · The NT-43A Radar Aircraft Testbed (RAT 55), a flying signature measurement aircraft, has been modified from a USAF Boeing 737-200. The secretive aircraft is different from other such US Air Force aircraft and is rarely seen taking to the skies.

Jan 1, 2025 · The Boeing T-43 is a retired modified Boeing 737-200 that was used by the United States Air Force for training navigators, known as USAF combat systems officers, from 1973 to 2010. A third aircraft 73-1115, was also transferred to Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) for use as the “Rat 55” radar test bed aircraft and was redesignated as an NT ...

Feb 14, 2025 · How does a seemingly ordinary Boeing jet become a top-secret military asset? The RAT-55’s unusual features were designed for a mission shrouded in secrecy, making it one of the most...

Aug 5, 2023 · The NT-43A always flies under the callsign "RAT55" this is beleived to come from "Radar Aircraft Testbed" and the 55 is the last two digits of the aircraft tail number. The aircraft is still flying in 2022 and is one of the last operational 737-200s in the world.