 Military Air Transport Service (and its successor organization Military Airlift Command) was frequently used by the USAF for clandestine, special operations missions prior to the establishment of Air Force Special Operations Command in the 1980s.The RB-57F, with its extreme high-altitude ceiling was frequently used as a strategic reconnaissance platform.The four "Rivet Slice" aircraft (converted from RB-57D airframes) were equipped with covertly mounted cameras and assigned specifically to reconnaissance work in 1965, "Rivet Slice" 2 and 3 with the 6091st Reconnaissance Squadron at Yokota AB and "Rivet Slice" 1 and 4 with the 7407th Support Squadron at Rhein-Main AB.