Half the B-2 fleet was flying above Minneapolis

a reply to: Zaphod58

we have the B-21 the RQ-180 and i believe the last member of the family is a EW new gen dedicated EF-111, and i wonder if we have seen whatever is flying in that role

a reply to: penroc3

You're not going to see anything. If anything is flying out of that area, they'll have moved it somewhere else to operate. There's too much going on over the range, and they're coming from too many different directions.

Looks like something might come up from the south into the NTTR again. KC-135 over El Paso at refueling altitude.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I agree with you on that, but i still wonder if they are using this to test the family F-22,F-35,B-1,B-2,B-21,RQ-180 NEO EF-111 etc. to see if all those new coms are working well together.

a reply to: penroc3

No. It's far too early for the B-21 to be used in something like this, and the RQ-180, if you read between the lines of the Air Force remarks on it, has been used operationally, so it's past that point.

Busy tanker night again. They're launching KC-135s out of Phoenix and Moses Lake, and three KC-10s were up over Wyoming heading Southeast to meet up with something.

Looks like tonight might be a C-17 heavy night. Three or four C-17s airborne between Washington and California now.

a reply to: Zaphod58

didn't all aircraft, or most of them get comm's upgrades? i mean i know the B-1 got a few satellite receivers or antenna antennas.

a reply to: penroc3

The B-1 got almost an entirely new cockpit. Just about all of them have new comms and datalinks, to handle the uptick in data from new aircraft.

Much quieter tonight. A KC-10, and Omega 707, and a KC-135 over NTTR tonight. No sign of the BAJA, ROOK, or GRIMM birds tonight.

Make that two KC-10s, the Omega 707, and a KC-135. One KC-10, and the 707 for Blue Air, one KC-10 and the KC-135 for Red Air.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: penroc3

No. It's far too early for the B-21 to be used in something like this, and the RQ-180, if you read between the lines of the Air Force remarks on it, has been used operationally, so it's past that point.

I think it's safe to say that there is footage out there taken BY something like this the View in a few videos is a little strange

Like fying very high and far away

a reply to: Zaphod58

God Bless and keep all on the front lines safe at this precarious time.

a reply to: penroc3

Doubtful. Nothing big and new was flying in this one. Lots of the usual suspects, but nothing new.

a reply to: Zaphod58

In talking Syria or other real life engagments

a reply to: penroc3

We won't see video from any of the really interesting things. Any video that is released was shot from something we already know about.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Some where there are a couple of Air Force guys who said "Since we have to do an exercise any way, let's give the tin foil hat crowd something to go apesh*t over."

a reply to: Zaphod58

i guess it might have been shot with a 170 or a reaper, but the video looks so crispy and close up. it may be a realer look at what those platforms can get.

i can see the video of certain platforms getting down rated.

a reply to: penroc3

Those cameras are better than you realize. Even on the Reaper they're amazingly good. They have to be to be able to get the detail they need from 20,000 feet or higher.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Is anything using atmospheric lensing yet?

I thought BAE was working on that. Just curious.

Have to love the end of an exercise. We went past Sky Harbor yesterday before dawn. In addition to the Arizona tankers based there, there were multiple KC-135s (15 total), and a C-17. Yesterday was the official end of Neptune Falcon. Went back by today, the only sign anything was going on is two Arizona birds still in transient parking. Other than the 6 or 8 birds based at the airport there wasn't a military plane to be seen.