A British surveillance aircraft is once again heading to the Black Sea region to monitor Russian forces on the Ukraine border.
Open Source Intelligence account SkyScanWorld is following the deployment, we recommend you check them out.
#RAF – Boeing RC-135W "Rivet Joint /Airseeker" – #ZZ664
All Refuelled & Now Heading To The Black Sea Region For A Tasking. pic.twitter.com/DtnjWk7V3u
— SkyScanWorld ✈️🚁📡 (@scan_sky) April 15, 2021
That the Royal Air Force chose to make the aircraft visible on commercial tracking services sends a very clear message.
This comes a few days after British RC-135 Rivet Joint deployed on a similar mission, monitoring Russian forces near the Ukrainian border. You can read more about that by going to the link below.
British surveillance aircraft monitoring Ukraine-Russia border
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.
Seems a long way to fly each day. I wonder why these aircraft aren’t forward based at Akrotiri
The USAF used to fly U2/Dragonfly from there and RAF have based Sentinel previously
U2S’s often appear on the Flight Radars too until they go dark. Was watching one last week until it got to Faroe.
Now off Crimea
Not a warm fuzzy feeling….USN cancellation of black sea deployment
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/us-cancels-black-sea-deployment-of-two-warships–turkey-14624570
Sleepy Joe must bow to his Russian Master. lol
If anyone was in Putins pocket it was Trump.
Hey we can all reduce ourselves to the levels of FOX and CNN if we want…
T: ‘There are good people on both sides. Putin is just being a strong leader…I respect that.’
Perhaps T would suggest mobilising various militia to stand alongside the Russians in a show of force about the right to bear arms
In all seriousness Dan I think the potential for Turkey and possibly Poland to unilaterally get involved exists especially if the Russians attempt to close routes to the Med.
It’s almost a daily occurrence though…. as would be expected I guess.
Another thing for anyone interested ….. RAF Hawks show up as Typhoon shapes on Flightradar24…. the Cynic in me would like to think it’s done this way to worry the Pesky Ruskies.
Saw 3 Hawks on flightradar24 the other day with 2 Cobham, callsign SAVAGE jets following them. They were over Hull ;P
Just checked this thing out. Bonkers! An Apache near Wattisham had a symbol of an airliner. How does one find out what is what apart from clicking on the symbols? Or is that it?
Most of the North sea oil show up as helo symbols must be a military thing ?
A British Rivet Joint has just squawked 7700 over Waddington
Nice that the Brits can take some pressure off the US intel aircraft. Here’s an idea, why doesn’t Merkel buy a few of these or something similar to help in her own defense? LOL
Hi Vlad. How is your dacha?
Hi Dan, I understand the RAF aircraft are interchangeable with USAF airframes so it’s a pool arrangement. That’s why it was selected.
Seen the News earlier looks like USSR are warning military ships to keep out of the Black sea to keep away from Ukraine.
If they cave, and they will, he will make his move.
He really is a piece of work