A British RC-135 ‘Rivet Joint’, an electronic surveillance aircraft, has conducted a patrol over Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and the Baltic Sea, monitoring Russia.
On these flights, the aircraft often patrols near the Russian border with NATO members and around the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
This isn’t a new occurrence; in fact, it is quite routine. The UK has long been gathering intelligence about Russian forces since long before the invasion of Ukraine, and it should be noted that these flights are designed to be visible so that the public and Russia know they’re happening. More so, people know this happens because it is reported when it happens. As a fun task, have a look at the number of comments saying ‘this is nothing new’ or a variant of that, they haven’t read the article.
If it was a secret, I would not know. Also, for those remarking ‘this isn’t new’, that’s right but people only know this happens often because it is reported often.
British surveillance aircraft being over the area isn’t unusual but we are seeing a significant increase in the frequency of the flights over the last while for obvious reasons. American assets are also present.
What does the RC-135W do?
According to the Royal Air Force website, the RC-135W Rivet Joint is a dedicated electronic surveillance aircraft that can be employed in all theatres on strategic and tactical missions. Its sensors ‘soak up’ electronic emissions from communications, radar and other systems.
“RC-135W Rivet Joint employs multidiscipline Weapons System Officer (WSO) and Weapons System Operator (WSOp) specialists whose mission is to survey elements of the electromagnetic spectrum in order to derive intelligence for commanders.”
The Royal Air Force say that Rivet Joint has been deployed extensively for Operation Shader and on other operational taskings. It had been formally named Airseeker, but is almost universally known in service as the RC-135W Rivet Joint.
The UK operates three of these aircraft.
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Can these make up the gap our ‘friends’ have left?
Depends.
We have plenty of intelligence assets, from SIGINT to ELINT to MASINT to HUMINT.
These aircraft contribute ELINT to measure signatures of enemy systems and add to the DEWC database.
But spotting time sensitive targets behind the lines? I think UKR, and us, depend on US Photo recce satellites for that.
Our own NCGI depends massively on US take, which, while we have access to it through 5 eyes, we might now be restricted to whom we disseminate it to.
Can we actually trust them now with 5 eyes? They have made their position crystal clear in regards to Russia!
We have no choice, they are at the heart of it, and that surveills a lot more than just Russia.
Their position on this subject may be clear, they are trying to force peace on Ukraine. But I don’t think that suddenly makes them “friends” with Russia overall.
US nuclear bombs may have just returned to Lakenheath. Why has Trump not cancelled it.
Nothing is ever that clear.
In the end mate if this direction of travel from Trump continues we will have no choice!
How can we be sure anything is secure with Sec of Defence ordering all cyber tasks ( offensive and defensive)against Russia are stopped?
Yes Jacko.
In a way Trumps behaviour has done us a favour.
We are too reliant. I hope our politicians don’t blow it.
Trumps using these things as weapons to bend others to his way.
I understand that our intelligence services may now be trying themselves in knots…who knows how any intel we share with the US may now be used..it pretty obvious Trump has sold out Ukraine to Putin and is essentially colluding with him..UK intel aiding Russian state interests is now live potential risk.
Seems the US has banned U.K from sharing all info labelled Rel – UKR with Ukraine. Shame we gapped our AEW and with only 3 we would be unable to do much anyway.
With three aircraft if we are prepared to double down and burn a lot of airframe hours we can probably replace the US RC135 in theatre. However I am guessing that the US is still gathering all the intel they were before they are just not sharing it with Ukraine. However I am guessing they are still sharing that info with us and it’s feeding whatever picture we are providing Ukraine.
I dare say everyone in the US intelligence Services and Military is doing what ever it can to circumvent any restrictions the Donald has in place. Also worth noting that many assets such as SIGNIT satellites may be joint assets that the UK can control. That certainly use to be the case with MAGNUM, we don’t know if that’s a set up continued on later programs as it’s highly classified.
I doubt they’re circumventing restrictions now that the DEI clowns are being removed. They’ll be doing as their told in order to bring to a close the war as soon as possible. Prolonging it only helps the WEF Davos Muppets.
“they’re told”
Didn’t realise we had a class clown on this website.
The only clown I see is you.
If you want the war to end then you should ask your dear lord Putin.
Putin could end the war within the hour if he wanted to, with a single phone call to order his troops to withdraw from Ukraine. It’s not Zelenskyy or Europe that wants the war to continue; it’s Putin.
You don’t want peace. You want Russia to win. At least have the spine to admit it!
Steve.
I don’t think it is that simple, or always helpful throwing Russian troll or Russia to win stuff about.
I ask you: How do you see Ukraine actually “winning”?
A. By Ukraine forcefully ejecting Russia from the lands they have occupied, without our aid?
B. By Ukraine forcefully ejecting Russia from the lands they occupy, with our aid, as currently.
C. By NATO coming in and forcing the Russians out.
D. Or by Putin withdrawing out of his own accord.
E. Or, me and ABC mentioned this a few years back, however unpalatable, Crimea is ceded to Russia as their “victory” and they give up the Donbass in return as part of a peace deal?
Ideally we would go for B, or maybe D?
A is not happening, western aid has been vital for them to hold the Russians back.
B is not happening either, they tried in 2023 with their big offensive and the Orcs had dug in so much it was like Kursk 1943 again.
C means WW3.
D I see happening even less than every other option. Do we really see a ruthless dictator like Putin running with his tail between his legs? I don’t. He has time and manpower. It is not in the nature of such men to suffer the loss of face.
And I cannot see him accepting option E either.
So, it goes on for how long? 10, 20 years, more? At what point does Ukraine reach exhaustion and Russia occupies the lot?
We already appeased them in 2014 when we did nothing. How do you actually get the Russians out if they don’t voluntarily withdraw or get beaten on the battlefield?
It is handy for us that they are making such a mess of attacking Ukraine, it allows the west time to rearm if our cretins in power wake up.
And how do you define a “Win” ?
Russia has not won, its forces were outside Kyiv 3 years ago and were forced back. It occupies a part of Ukraine, so yes Putin sells that as a win to Russians for his own position.
Ukraine wins as it survives, it held out, it was not destroyed. It then joins the EU, and possibly NATO, though I’m again not sure on that as I recall it is against NATO rules regards states with a border dispute.
So Steve, unless Putin is backing down on a scale never seen for a bastard of his power, by making that phone call, how do we get the Russians out?
Europe is not ready, and the US has buggered off. Trump is doing it his way, like or loathe it. What position are we in Europe in, having destroyed our conventional forces for the last 30 years, to say otherwise?
Bring the war to a close only helps the US and Russia divide up the 15 trillion dollars of mineral wealth in Ukraine..giving the Russian war machine access to around 7 trillion in mineral wealth to extract..
And supporting the Russian war machine to build up and create the Russian empire mark 3 will be great for European security..Russia needed to be utterly beaten anything else risks a new general war in Europe when Russia has build itself to a major power in a decade through its conquests.
Yes, the US Navy P-8 over Romania, and JAKE17, the RC-135 from Mildenhall, were busy in their usual places this morning.
Indeed, Jim. That last arrangement regards Magnum is the last “clear” info that I’m aware of, I have not read anything beyond that.
GCHQ could be seen to “own” a single Magnum, or be given priority tasking for, I think 3, satellites, for a period of time, for the money we paid into the system.
I agree there will likely be current arrangements.
As well as Satellites, I count at least 9 other ground based sites GCHQ run on just SIGINT, not other things, either solely or with NSA, so we have other, differing sources, maybe not as ideal for certain things as a satellite.
It is not something to be thrown away lightly, which is why I cautioned a few weeks back we need to try to keep Trump onside.
We are, for right or wrong, too invested with the US on the Intel and nuclear side, and certain other stuff like parts of ASW, and that is evident in the governments comments, now they are in the big boys seat themselves and actually see reality.
Yes, good point on just how many assets GCHQ has in the theatre, I don’t think we or the US should underestimate just how much of the intel is UK derived in Europe. I believe the majority of the Human Intelligence was also UK developed.
I fully agree we need to keep trump onside in public while quietly preparing for the worst.
Interesting article in the Times today about the Donald cutting us off from Trident II common missile store at Kings Bay. Good news is that apparently existing missiles will last until the end of a four year term without maintenance.
Bad news is Trump might not go at the end of four years
Times article?
Fact? Or the possibility of?
In 5 Eyes, UK apparently takes the lead in M East and in Europe up to the Urals.
Looks like we’ll (us and the rest of Europe) have to really step up these kind of missions now that the US refuses to share intelligence with Ukraine, and we also can’t share US-gathered intel with Ukraine either.
Maybe time to stop sharing European intelligence with America in return…
Absolutely.
100% even more so with Tulsi Gubbard being in charge of their intelligence. They can’t be trusted. Looks like Europe has FINALLY woken up which is good though.
Absolutely not! Further splits between the US and Europe, including us, should be minimised.
I don’t think it’s going to be up to us.
Why?
Why should we cling desperately to the US when, under Trump, they’ve clearly shown disdain for us and Ukraine, and shown a lot of affection for our enemies – America’s enemies until Trump took office again!
It goes both ways: if the US abandons us, they shouldn’t be immune to the same treatment.
If things went seriously south and the US left NATO, you could forget 3% on defence, the rest of NATO would have to roll up their sleeves and pay in ‘at least’ 4%.
We need to navigate our way back to a steady US/ European relationship and put up with Trump for 4 years, or we can expect huge tax rises and deep cuts to rebuild independent military capability!
I understand that people are saying our services are being to worry that anything they share may be used to aid Russia..as it’s now obvious to all the US is actively collaborating with Russia on a Ukrainian defeat, so they can share the mineral wealth.
Don’t know if the rumours of Turkey preparing to enter Ukraine have any credibility or not,anybody else heard,seen anything?
Indian troops would ‘possibly’ be acceptable to both sides as peacekeepers.
I would have thought any NATO troops would be a unacceptable to Russia.
If peacekeepers are let in, the best choices (or at least mutually acceptable ones) are probably India, Indonesia, and Ireland.
Ukraine doesn’t want peace keepers it wants a security guarantee force with a mandate to protect Ukraine, India, Ireland and Indonesia are not in a position to provide such a force nor would any of their countries be willing to do so.
As long as Puntin is alive there can be no peace. Ukraine may wish for an extended ceasefire to build itself up while Russia continues to languish under sanctions but that’s it.
Starmer was only talking anything peace keepers to make it look like Europe was offering something for the Donald’s “plan”
I have no desire for thousands of British troops to be based on Russia’s boarders unless they are inside NATO.
Russia is not going to languish under sanctions if there is a peace.. trump will make a trade deal and Russia will begin extraction of the 7 billion of mineral wealth it will have stolen from Ukraine..it would not now suprise me if trump did not even agree to US investment in the extraction of minerals on the Russian side.