A British RC-135 ‘Rivet Joint’, an electronic surveillance aircraft, is once again patrolling over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in order to keep an eye on Russia.

On these flights, the aircraft often patrols near the Russian border with NATO members as well as around the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

https://twitter.com/geoallison/status/1537421269783744513

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. 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 few months 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.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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32 COMMENTS

  2. This time/day last week I counted 1xRAF Rivet Joint, 1xUSN P-8 Posiedon, 1xNATO E-3A Sentry and 1x USAF RQ4B Global Hawk, all working in the area to the west and south of Ukraine/Crimea at the same time.
    Whilst the Rivet, P-8 and Sentry were at around 32,000 – 35,000 ft the Global Hawk was up at 50,000 feet.
    No doubt there was a tanker or two also but didn’t spot them.
    An an excellent example of the joint effort by so many nations, in the support of Ukraine.

  3. Seems a very sensible place to patrol. Related news today is that the UK MOD has bought 20 x 155mm howitzers from a Belgium company to send to Ukraine. Anyone know what type these guns were? I’m guessing maybe FH70.

    • Interesting.

      New or refurbs?

      Presumably refurbs if available at short notice?

      My only concern with this is that the Ukrainians end up with tiny numbers of very good things and the logistics turn into a nightmare for them.

      Mind you, I don’t think it would take that much precision firepower to turn the tide. If it was done sector by sector. As the Ukranians say: blow the remaining g Russian armour and they can clear the Russian ground forces out double quick time.

      • It’s not the Russian armour that’s the problem, it’s the overwhelming artillery barrage they are capable of using to reduce defenses and defenders to rubble.

        Knocking out the Russian artillery is the overwhelming priority. MLRS is what they need, counter battery fire being its forte. They need lots of it and need it now. Defending is easier than attacking and they need to hold ground now, taking it back without having numerical advantage will be close to impossible.

        • Yup, but a lot of the Russian wheeled artillery is……a T62.

          So taking those out solves a lot of the issue.

        • Oh, I suspect you are right.

          And I suspect the Russians are wasting missiles on decoy warehouses.

          The Ukrainians will keep this stuff in reserve until they have critical mass and then unleash it.

          • You mean a bit like the huge number of expensive missiles NATO wasted blinking drain pipes, packing cases and lengths of 3×4 cunningly arranged in guns pits to look like towed guns…

            Cheers CR

          • Bosnia. Sorry a bit too cryptic. Plenty of news article around on the web these days. I have even seen photos of wooden Mig 29 decoys. They were full sized and detailed replicas with BBQ coals inside the fuselage to simulate hot engines.

            As you point out decoys work – very very well. Just think D-Day and Patton’s ghost army in the southeast of England. That one changed the course of history.

            Cheers CR

          • True

            That is where the present generation of smart missiles won’t be fooled.

            They would look for magnetic signature, radar properties as well as IR (heat) but in a spectrum manner so just having a hot source won’t mean it is a target.

          • Yeh, multispectral seekers is where it is at, but that also pushes the cost up, doesn’t it always!

            It also depends on what is happening as well.If it is shooting at you it is porbably the real thing so it does not always need a really smart weapon to make a postive ID. Which is where NLAW comes in.

            As such there is still a place for simpler weapons as perhaps we’d accept a few of these less expensive weapons getting decoyed, especially if they give us weight of fire at the contact point.

            All of which I am sure you are aware of mate.

            Cheers CR

      • ukraine has said they will push russia out but we need to supply
        1000 x 155mm guns
        300 x MRLS
        500 x MBT
        1000 x light armour

        • I can’t see them needing that much kit.

          I suspect they are talking this up so that when they wallop the Russians with 1/4 of the kit the Russians are still waiting.

      • They should be good enough to match Russian artillery especially if they have had their targetting and comms kit updated during the reburb…

        Cheers CR

    • A lot

      I’d be surprised if they were not told where everything was on their sovereign patch.

      I suspect we are a little more careful about what we tell them is heading into theatre on Russian soil so they don’t get tempted.

      • Then again, the Ukranians seem to have crossed that particular red line a couple of times without any western help already.

        … especially if you consider all those suspicious “accidents” that keep happening in Russia.

        • I think the accidents are most likely caused by moving so many munitions around. Who knows what they keep in them and how long it’s sat there and in what condition.
          Estimates put Russia is firing 70,000 artillery shells a day!
          How many millions of these shells do they have? Can they make replacements quickly? I suspect they probably can make them.

          • It’s not just the ammunition dumps that are catching fire though.
            (Plus lets not forget that strike by Ukranian helicopters across the border)

        • Nah, that’s just Russian incompetence (and perhaps some domestic sabotage). They have a record of some very big explosions due to handling munitions that ahould have been destroyed decades ago.

          • Yes, 1960/70’s munitions won’t be in a great state and certainly won’t be working consistently!

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