RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted August 28, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 28, 2021 Currently following a USAF Bombadier E-11A circling 33.500 feet over Kabul; it's got CIA electronic surveillance mission written all over it! Departed Abu Dhabi 16.57 local, destination N/A, airboune 4 hours 10mins. Interesting. If you don't hear from me again, the Men In Black have taken me away. Circling over a point to the north of the city centred Bagram. Rather surprised FR24 are tracking! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 The only conclusion to be drawn is that someone wants it to be known, perhaps to act as a deterrent, perhaps just to get people twitchy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators AY Mod Posted August 28, 2021 Moderators Share Posted August 28, 2021 14 minutes ago, The Johnster said: Rather surprised FR24 are tracking! Why? They'll automatically display anything where the transponders are giving identity signals. I am sure the comms relay platform operators are aware what's broadcasting and the reason for doing so at any time. Put the tin foil hats away. 4 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted August 28, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 28, 2021 10 minutes ago, AY Mod said: Why? They'll automatically display anything where the transponders are giving identity signals. I am sure the comms relay platform operators are aware what's broadcasting and the reason for doing so at any time. Put the tin foil hats away. Aww! And I'd just got mine out! It's probably flying as an airborne jamming job to interfere with the evacuation from Afghanistan. These transports would make excellent targets, sad to say. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted August 28, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 28, 2021 Might as well, Andy, they makes my 'ed 'ot, innit! Did two hexagonal circuits around Bagram, and is now heading SE, crossing the Pakistan border, same speed same altitude. USAF seem to be sending Globemasters in on an roughly half hourly schedule, steep approach from SE. What I meant was that I am surprised that the transponders are switched on in the first place; of course, FR24 track them automatically if they are switched on. 22 minutes ago, Nearholmer said: The only conclusion to be drawn is that someone wants it to be known, perhaps to act as a deterrent, perhaps just to get people twitchy. Hadn't thought of that, Nearholmer, entirely plausible and compatible with the way those people operate. I need to be more cynical, and am clearly nowhere near paranoid enough, depite what Andy thinks... 2 minutes ago, tomparryharry said: Aww! And I'd just got mine out! It's probably flying as an airborne jamming job to interfere with the evacuation from Afghanistan. These transports would make excellent targets, sad to say. Big, slow, low, and approaching right over downtown Kabul, and if you miss this one there's another one in 30 minutes or so. The Taliban have apparently agreed to uphold the ceasefire until midnight local time Monday, and have not broken it, being able to lay the blame for the bombs and gunfire at the door of ISIS K, who claimed responsibility. The agreement with the Taliban has them agreeing not to harbour terrorists; yeah right, they've already broken the agreements about reprisals and womens' rights. Women are apparently still allowed to work, though. A 'Stratotanker' went in earlier today, presumably to supply the airport's reserve. It hasn't re-appeared, yet, and there must be a good few big a/c on the apron there; it's a pretty hairy situation just from Ground Traffic Control's perspective. Another tanker has just appeared on the 'plot', and I've lost track of our little spook; maybe they've switched off the transponder now they're out of Afghan airspace, which would tie in with Nearholmers' assessment. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheatley Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 As above, FR will track whatever the transponder lets it, but it does seem to be tracking more operational military flights these days. The RAF QRA scrambles never used to show up at all, but a light aircraft was escorted into Leeds Bradford a couple of weeks ago. Two Typhoons, one identified on FR as 'Q1' and the other invisible. I know there were two because they were circling over my house making the windows shake before climbing away back to Coningsby. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 4 hours ago, AY Mod said: Put the tin foil hats away. A minor Q, tin foil hats; shiny or matte side out? I just want to be sure... 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
burgundy Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Similar conversation also taking place on "For those who like Aircraft pictures". I think that you will find that the E11a is not particularly spooky. If this write up is correct, it is actually a communications relay station which helps communicate into the many remote valleys in Afghanistan. I think you will also find that aircraft will not be flying low and slow over Kabul but will use a tactical approach - stay high until the last moment and then dive for the end of the runway to minimise exposure to possible ground fire. Best wishes Eric 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted August 28, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 28, 2021 Stratotankers seem to be doing a lot of inflight. I doubt that they want one of those sitting on the ground at Kabul or want to be spending more time than absolutely necessary sitting on the tarmac with the other planes. There are currently two tankers around the Pakistan border. Another recently taken off from Abu Dhabi headed southeast down the Gulf now doing circles. You can sometimes spot them paired with another aircraft often over southwestern Pakistan, both travelling at same speed and height. One has just done a u-turn at Kandahar. 7 minutes ago, burgundy said: I think you will also find that aircraft will not be flying low and slow over Kabul but will use a tactical approach - stay high until the last moment and then dive for the end of the runway to minimise exposure to possible ground fire. One just goin in was still at 7000ft about 3 miles off the runway. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted August 28, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 28, 2021 5 hours ago, The Johnster said: Currently following a USAF Bombadier E-11A circling 33.500 feet over Kabul; it's got CIA electronic surveillance mission written all over it! Departed Abu Dhabi 16.57 local, destination N/A, airboune 4 hours 10mins. Just watch out for a C-135 Rivet Joint circling around near your flat. They can monitor the Digital Universe from one of those. At least two were out and about last night over the Gulf and Pakistan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators AY Mod Posted August 28, 2021 Moderators Share Posted August 28, 2021 43 minutes ago, Hroth said: A minor Q, tin foil hats; shiny or matte side out? I just want to be sure... The shiny side is for reflecting rogue signals so it all depends if they are external or internal; reflecting paranoia back into the cranium may lead to overheating and combustion. 1 2 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Also broadcasting on civilian tracking frequencies (i.e. making sure it is plainly visible for all to see) is this B-52 flying circuits near Dubai. https://www.flightradar24.com/GRIMM72/28f32ec7 This https://www.flightradar24.com/NAG93XT/28f311fe might be the last UK flight out just mentioned by BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58372437 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted August 28, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 28, 2021 @The Johnster 59 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said: Just watch out for a C-135 Rivet Joint circling around near your flat. You're probably safe for the moment. The only Rivet Joint currently transmitting is over Oman. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 1 hour ago, TheSignalEngineer said: Stratotankers seem to be doing a lot of inflight. I doubt that they want one of those sitting on the ground at Kabul or want to be spending more time than absolutely necessary sitting on the tarmac with the other planes. There are currently two tankers around the Pakistan border. Another recently taken off from Abu Dhabi headed southeast down the Gulf now doing circles.…… Do you think that military operations and troops on the ground is taking place without air cover? There will be combat aircraft on patrol, or holding overhead in case they are needed. There are also surveillance and command and control aircraft present. The tankers are mostly supporting these operations, in addition to some a-a refuelling of military transports. The other thread has some info on transponders and why you can’t see everything that’s going on, via amateur hobbyist tracking sites like FR24. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 1 hour ago, KeithMacdonald said: Also broadcasting on civilian tracking frequencies (i.e. making sure it is plainly visible for all to see) is this B-52 flying circuits near Dubai. https://www.flightradar24.com/GRIMM72/28f32ec7 That B52 eventually headed east, down the Gulf of Oman and “disappeared” north of Muscat. An E11A was just ahead and “disappeared” in the same area. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted August 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 29, 2021 7 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said: Do you think that military operations and troops on the ground is taking place without air cover? There will be combat aircraft on patrol, or holding overhead in case they are needed. From the pattern of the flights of the tankers there is obviously a lot of other stuff up there. At times there have been at least three visible. They appear and then vanish again at regular intervals, so maybe that is when serving a customer. The call signs showing on FR24 are sometimes a giveaway as to what the plane is. MOOSE is always a Globemaster transport. When we get a helicopter gunship fly over us they are VULTUREs. There was an interesting one patrolling up and down near Kandahar a couple of nights ago by the name of ARSON. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 Sad times over there. Brit15 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisis Rail Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 Moose lifts to Qatar continuing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 (edited) The USAF call signs being used for the C17’s in the evacuation, are both Moose and Reach (RCH). Reach is the normal call sign for these transports and Moose will be a mission call sign. I don’t know what each one signifies in terms of what they’re carrying on this mission. . Edited August 29, 2021 by Ron Ron Ron 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 Most of the flights have been taking people south. Less common are the flights taking people north, like this one: https://www.flightradar24.com/RCH1016/28f463cf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Metr0Land Posted August 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 29, 2021 What do you guys make of this? https://www.flightradar24.com/GRB196/28f4522f Showing as GRB196 and icon is a helicopter. However, interrogation then shows it's supposedly a civilian Bell Jet Ranger N196P flying at 42,975ft and doing 402 knots! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 Certainly seems like an anomoly. The real JetRanger N196P is owned by Caswell Farms, somewhere in California. https://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/N196P/history/20210605/1708Z This oddity is now at 44,974 ft, over Azerbaijan, heading towards Georgia. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted August 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 29, 2021 22 minutes ago, KeithMacdonald said: Certainly seems like an anomoly. The real JetRanger N196P is owned by Caswell Farms, somewhere in California. https://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/N196P/history/20210605/1708Z This oddity is now at 44,974 ft, over Azerbaijan, heading towards Georgia. Could be a hit squad on "false plates". Seems to have done a few flights from Malta to the Kulob area of Tajikistan recently., usually reaching about 14000 metres altitude according to another site. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted August 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 29, 2021 Allegedly did a non stop flight of nearly 5000km earlier. According to Wonkypedia the Bell Jetranger 206B has a range of 430 miles, service altitude up to 13500 feet, a top speed of 140mph and fall-apart speed of 150mph. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 It's not unusual for FR24 to get a mis-ident on a track, it happens from time to time, even though the Mode-S identifiers are unique to the transponder and usually the aircraft. FR24 shows this track (currently over Turkey as I type) starting over Tajikistan. ADS-B Exchange shows that it arrived in Tajikistan having flown in from Malta, as given a mention above. The very high cruising level (FL450) and speed (only G/S given. You have to pay more for for TAS info, if available) suggest it's a corporate jet. Malta doesn't strike me as a good operational base for clandestine operations, but it's a common location for jumping on or off your private super yacht. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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