82nd airborne put on alert for deployment. One battalion in route to Kuwait .

Source

Appears they're getting busy over there. Things were moving before we even saw the 82nd spin up. If the reports in this article are accurate we've basically decapitated the Iranian paramilitary leadership rather swiftly. Something which could only be done with prior knowledge those elusive leaders would be where they were with enough time to plan and mobilize units to act. Follow the tankers is right...that was that strike group moving into the area...covering the units who went in on the ground as well as possibly striking a convoy outside Baghdad.


Also hearing reports that armor is being moved from Kuwait...though the small clip I saw only showed a Bradley on a semi but if I'm not mistaken those would be part of units which also have tanks. Like I said before moving infantry is usually a defensive move...bringing armor is much more offensive.

Looks like a number of aircraft that went over yesterday are still making their way back. There are four or five still in Europe, and two or three just got back to the Pope area. The aircraft that landed earlier today should be launching later tonight after crew rest, or they get another crew in.

C-17 07-7188 airborne.

It would appear that RCH471 is a Dover bird, and just heading home.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Yea I think at this point things are spreading out and evening out. Ive been seeing a constant flow into theater by what we saw cross last night as well as their flow out. Also watching a lot of transport movement still over the US with C5Ms moving about on the west side of the country today as well as the C17 shuffle we have been watching.

Guess we will see round round 3 or 4 tonight.

a reply to: RickyD

Most of the birds that landed earlier today will be back up late tonight as their crews complete crew rest and are able to go again. So there should be another surge here in the next few hours.

RCH649, C-17 02-1106 based out of Mcchord on the same track as others for Pope. Currently over Wyoming.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Pretty large wave of C17s returning atm. Half over the pond other half over England.

RCH219 c-5m is in the air heading east from look like Cannon ? sorry not used to all the airbase

a reply to: RickyD

If the trend continues, we'll see McChord, Charleston, and Dover sending aircraft to quick turn at Pope.

With this many people to move, we may see a portion of the Civil Reserve fleet activated.

a reply to: Dolby_X

Looks like Lackland. The aircraft appears to be a Dover bird.

Nope, you're right, Cannon. That means SOF gear. Possibly CV-22s.

KC-135R 63-8884 up over Omam atm...nothing else around...thinking maybe refueling something inbound from sea.

a reply to: RickyD

Watch the altitude. If he goes about about 27,000 feet, probably not a refueling mission.

On an unrelated but interesting note, two E-6Bs airborne over Oklahoma.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Dropping under 21k now...

17k now...is there an airfield there for him to land at?

a reply to: RickyD

He's inbound then. They usually refuel between about 23,000 and 27,000 depending on local conditions. Sometimes higher, rarely lower.

He'll be landing at RAFO Thumrait if he goes into Oman. We have a decent presence there.

Interesting. RCH114, 7178 went from Pope, to Dover, landed at Dover, and is airborne again. With that short a flight, he may have broken, and stopped at Dover for a quick fix, and is continuing on now.

pff the above poster beat me to it

RCH114 C17 07-7178 Going east from dover look like you are right a little crew change refuel and here we go again ... will see how many follow

a reply to: Dolby_X

He launched from Pope about two hours ago, and hopped up to Dover.

RCH925, C-17 98-0056 on a similar track to Pope out of Anchorage as last night.

RCH827, C-5M 87-0032 airborne from Cannon.

RCH768T, C-17 02-1098 out of Homestead. Not sure if he's going to continue into the air bridge, or not.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Do the B-2s typically broadcast IFF/Squawk Mode 3 when they leave Whiteman for combat missions? Random thought, never looked into that before.

a reply to: Masisoar

No, but the tankers will. You'll see a group of tankers gather up around New York and Maine, and another around the UK, and a final batch down over the Med.

Currently, only RCH852 is up along the Maine/Canada border, and he's too low for a refueling track. He's only at 15,000 feet, and only showing as a single ship. Not enough fuel for anything major to tank.