Russian Planes

[JohnC6]

I know some on here are interested in following flights with one App or another.I just heard on the radio that unidentified aircraft have been located north of Scotland and Typhoons have been sent up from RAF Lossiemouth so I looked at my App Planefinder and I've been watching a NATO AWACS plane E-3A east of the Orkney Islands (Kirkwall). The route trace shows it's flown from its base at Geilenkirchen ,Germany 20km north of Aaachen. By double clicking on the plane it will show a photo of it and some detail. It's at almost 30,000ft .It did two large circles over the North Sea earlier.

Planefinder. The plane is now showing just east of Wick at 1422 as I post. It's flying north parallel with the east coast. Just enlarge the map https://planefinder.net

No doubt the RAF /NATO were expecting this considering the Ukraine situation.

Moscow says US taking 'destructive steps' by sending troops to East

U.S. President Joe Biden earlier today approved the deployment of 3,000 U.S. troops to Eastern Europe 'in the coming days', with Moscow branding the move as 'destructive'.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The plane https://awacs.nato.int

 

[Steep]

They expect it because it happens on a monthly basis, hardly ever gets reported though because the Russians have been doing it for decades.

/edit I believe 'we' also do it to them.

 

[Tringa]

Don't know if this is linked to the above but an F15E took off from Mildenhall at 16:31. It crossed the north Norfolk coast close to Burnham Market at about 16:39, heading roughly north eastish.

Dave

 

[andya700]

They expect it because it happens on a monthly basis, hardly ever gets reported though because the Russians have been doing it for decades.

/edit I believe 'we' also do it to them.

Yes, several times a day for the last year, using E8, R135 and sometimes a Global hawk drone.

I use this to see the military aircraft as well as Flightradar and ADSB Exchange.

Planeradar.ru

Russian aircraft radar. Track planes in real-time on our flight tracker map

usii.qsl.udm.ru

 

[AgentOrange76]

They expect it because it happens on a monthly basis, hardly ever gets reported though because the Russians have been doing it for decades.

/edit I believe 'we' also do it to them.

Earlier this week an RAF RC-135 W had been on a daytrip to the Ukraine, the registration put it as one of the Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Force planes, it had avoided Russian Airspace

 

[JohnC6]

Yes, several times a day for the last year, using E8, R135 and sometimes a Global hawk drone.

I use this to see the military aircraft as well as Flightradar and ADSB Exchange.

Planeradar.ru

Russian aircraft radar. Track planes in real-time on our flight tracker map

usii.qsl.udm.ru

I clicked on the link planeradar.ru but the writing in a small box is Russian and I'm assuming it's telling me I can't have access. That's all that's showing on an otherwise blank grey screen.

Re ADSB. I was at RAF Fairford (20 miles away) one day just before Covid stopped all that and a spotter showed me how to scroll through and click on this and that so I could see the progress of two US military planes coming from the Middle East. Israel,as I recall. The spotters, which included three from the Midlands ..always friendly and helpful people,I've found.. had been waiting several hours .The planes were over Switzerland . One spotter showed me how to follow them using the ADSB App but it was complicated to take in on one showing . Anyway, as I recall we all gave up as the planes had flown over northern France then made a turn west and were re-fuelled out to sea off Lizard/Land End and then on to the US. I can't recall what they were. U2's maybe. I've got photos of U2s which I took at RAF Fairford that had flown from Cyprus following Middle East surveillance. The two pilots of one that I photographed as it landed got out wearing orange high altitude suits. Fairford is to be upgraded and used again as a USAF base. Still RAF but it will have a permanent US presence which the locals are very pleased about as it brings income one way or another. They overnight at Fairford quite often.

Just looked at your ADSB website and it looks much better than Flightradar. No doubt because of the different colours for aircraft and just a mouse-over the plane gives more basic information than FR. Now saved.

Originally, the RC-135 Rivet Joint was to be stationed there but no longer. I have good photos of that plane too taken at Brize crossing just above fence height across the main road before landing.

Upgrade to Fairford. https://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/news/19284629.flights-raf-fairford-part-300m-upgrade/

Speaking of Brize... I was following (on Planefinder) a C-17..Globemaster doing circuits over Brize at noon today. It's very frustrating for me where we live because whilst the military aircraft..both RAF and USAF but more so USAF, fly west from these two RAF stations to the US (they fly over a nearby beacon) opposite our house are 25-30m trees so I just hear the roar.

I watch this website (link below) and scroll down to the regions. RAF Fairford and Brize Norton which are in the 'Southern England' listing. Some (most) of the language is in airforce language and leaves me non-the wiser. Hope to get to Lossiemouth in May when we travel to Chanonry Point again (for the dolphins) and stay there for a week. Lossiemouth is 55 miles away and east of Elgin.

FighterControl - Index page

www.fightercontrol.co.uk

 

[AgentOrange76]

I use ADSB Exchange and like that the planes have a similar silouette to the real thing. I tend to have a look most evenings as the USAF usually has a pair of MC-130, an Osprey or two and a tanker out over Norfolk. There is usually something out of Brize and Appache helecopters and Typhoons over lincolnshire.
One particular evening I take a look and spot a silouette over the North West that looked vaugely like a U2. A quick click confirmed it. Id lost track of thier status and was suprised to find they operate out of Fairford along with B2's regularly. I cant find it now but there was a facebook group or website that managed to get advanced notice of thier attendance in The UK.
Id love to see either.
Im not sure if it occured as I got caught up at work but supposedly a pair of B-One's were supposed to do a flight around Norfolk on Tuesday.

 

[andya700]

I use ADSB Exchange and like that the planes have a similar silouette to the real thing. I tend to have a look most evenings as the USAF usually has a pair of MC-130, an Osprey or two and a tanker out over Norfolk. There is usually something out of Brize and Appache helecopters and Typhoons over lincolnshire.
One particular evening I take a look and spot a silouette over the North West that looked vaugely like a U2. A quick click confirmed it. Id lost track of thier status and was suprised to find they operate out of Fairford along with B2's regularly. I cant find it now but there was a facebook group or website that managed to get advanced notice of thier attendance in The UK.
Id love to see either.
Im not sure if it occured as I got caught up at work but supposedly a pair of B-One's were supposed to do a flight around Norfolk on Tuesday.

The B1's definitely didn't show on the radar, but sometimes last year, one Eurofighter was showing in the Med around Cyprus, when there were in fact a flight of them. The same with the F15's this last week, there were loads of them in the air.
I find this quite interesting and addictive.

Facebook

www.facebook.com

This was a week ago at Lakenheath. The start of the video is the early morning with F15's taking off.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=359340112292532

View: https://www.facebook.com/BigJetTV/videos/359340112292532

 

[AgentOrange76]

Yes the F15's this week has been interesting, they usually dont show and I find it interesting how we have fighters up at night but the USAF only does so occassionally.
Wouldnt expect the B2 to show but surprised the U2 did, fairly sure it only appeared on the screen once it was over UK airspace.
Ive noticed that quite often its one of a pair thats shows up.

 

[Pound Coin]

When I had a trip on a Voyager, we were bumbling around near The Wash, going to refuel a couple of Tornados, when we were told we had to go North as there was activity that needed investigation. We then looped off shore near Aberdeen, refuelling Typhoons. Afterwards our guide told us that it was an exercise, but he was the only one that knew, and it was a test for the Voyager flight crew. He had also told us that we could be airborne for as long as the Voyager still had fuel, so when we went up north, we thought we might be there a while!

The multi-use aspect of the Voyager was very interesting, part transport of up to 300ish soldiers, or machinery, or hospital beds, or a few high dependency beds, or a mix. Or a Prime Minister (although we were in a grey one so it wouldn't have been good enough for the Shambolic Adulterous Liar...)

 

[andya700]

When I had a trip on a Voyager, we were bumbling around near The Wash, going to refuel a couple of Tornados, when we were told we had to go North as there was activity that needed investigation. We then looped off shore near Aberdeen, refuelling Typhoons. Afterwards our guide told us that it was an exercise, but he was the only one that knew, and it was a test for the Voyager flight crew. He had also told us that we could be airborne for as long as the Voyager still had fuel, so when we went up north, we thought we might be there a while!

The multi-use aspect of the Voyager was very interesting, part transport of up to 300ish soldiers, or machinery, or hospital beds, or a few high dependency beds, or a mix. Or a Prime Minister (although we were in a grey one so it wouldn't have been good enough for the Shambolic Adulterous Liar...)

Ah yes, the "executive jet" A330 Voyager - "Vespina" - ZZ336 - seen it up and about a few times.

VIP RAF Voyager Ready For Global Role | Royal Air Force

The RAF Voyager “Vespina” has completed its refurbishment to provide a secure, cost-effective and suitably profiled transport for Government Ministers and the Royal Family.

www.raf.mod.uk

 

[Pound Coin]

I can't see from my photos which one we went on, and if it is now all painted up nicely!