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In Afgan skies...


DaveH

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Looked at flight radar a few times today.... loads going on... seen 20 C17's, some Herc's, even a few A400's... a Spanish one included.

Also loads of KC-135's, both R & T versions... anyone know the difference ??

 

Respect to all involved... come home safe 

 

Dave

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1 hour ago, DaveH said:

Respect to all involved... come home safe 

Yes indeed!

 

 

But how could that happen! :wall:

 

20 years of fighting down the drain it seems! How to explain this to those who served and risked their lives before???

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I also checked Flightradar24 regularly in the last days. Quiet dramatic to see the C-17s flying from Doha to Kabul and back. I assume, however, that many/most military flights do not appear on this website. I guess it depends on whether they identify themselves to the civil air traffic control? Does anyone know more about this?

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Seen RAF A-400’s and C-17’s. USAF C-130’s, C-17’s & KC’ 10’s and 135’s. Spanish A-400’s and RAAF C-130’s All with at least two flights each per day for each aircraft. Im guessing the planes switch crews so as to get double time out of each airframe. Ive been constantly monitoring this since about the 21st. They're also running Elint versions of a Bombardier airliner the E-11 identifying as BlackWolf 11,12,14 circling Kabul at 41,000 feet. My guess is both monitoring and sending out radio signals and possibly cellular info to friendlies on the ground as to how to avoid checkpoints ? 

Edited by Corsairfoxfouruncle
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6 hours ago, DaveH said:

Also loads of KC-135's, both R & T versions... anyone know the difference ??

 

The KC-135T is the re-engined version of the KC-135Q tanker which supported the SR-71 Blackbird fleet: externally they are virtually identical to the more numerous R model but have a different internal tank layout: a legacy of the requirement to separate the Blackbird's high flashpoint JP-7 fuel isolated from the JP-4 fuel used by the tanker and its more conventional customer types.

 

1 hour ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

They're also running Elint versions of a Bombardier airliner the E-11.

 

The E-11 isn't an ELINT platform but a carrier for the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) system - effectivley a flying datalink.

 

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I have also been monitoring Flightradar for the past few days and noted most  the stuff everyone has mentioned. I have noticed a Safe Air 727 on the ground at Kabul and also seen RNZAF and Italian Hercs. There are a lot of KC135s and KC10s around. I assume that there is a Carrier in the area at the very least and some sort of presence over Kabul by strike aircraft/fighters. Noticed a few minutes ago a Typhoon outbound from Cyprus and over Israel at about 28,000 feet. Must be absolutely awful for all involved and terrifying for people trying to get out. My thoughts are with them

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We watch all this since 2 weeks. It is the only reliable information. 

Beside all high tech military energy, the free independent press faild totaly. In contrary to Vietnam.

The west lost beside America als the free independent press!

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As well as flightradar24 there is also a live Kabul Airport webcam here...

 

https://www.geocam.ru/en/online/kabul-ptz/ 

 

...it's very busy - plenty of Hercs & Globemasters taking off.  A Globemaster from the SAC heavy lift wing has just landed too.

 

I have no idea who is manning this live camera - but they are up on a hill on the edge of town - with good coverage of the entire airport - very interesting stuff.

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I've noticed C-2 Greyhounds (callsign RG0?), RC-135 and NATO tankers (MMF?) over the last week or so. There's been a B-52 (callsign GRIM?) over the Gulf quite frequently.

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Also seen Turkish AF Hercs and A400s direct Turkey/Kabul as well as a shuttle running between Kabul to and from across the border in Pakistan.      Hungarian C-17s to and from Tbilisi in Georgia as well as Qatari C-17s to and from the Gulf area.

 

The USAF KC-135s and C-17s sometimes seem to drop from Flight Radar for a time over Central Afghanistan which is when I imagine they conduct AAR which has been allowing some of the record breaking passenger lifts from Kabul to take-off with a light fuel load. 

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5 hours ago, dov said:

Beside all high tech military energy, the free independent press faild totaly.

I have to disagree with that on multiple levels, but explaining why would inevitable edge towards political commentary.

For those who were sent or volunteered for a mission, my respect and sympathies - this is not a situation of your making. 

 

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Caz has been on FR too, and the sheer number of aircraft in the volume is amazing.  I hope everyone gets where they're going safely, and they can stop anything like happened yesterday from happening again.  Apalling doesn't begin to cover it. :fraidnot:

 

15 minutes ago, alt-92 said:

I have to disagree with that on multiple levels, but explaining why would inevitable edge towards political commentary.

That's your right, and thanks for keeping it off the forums :yes: This thread will stay open unless someone forgets the few rules we have here :)

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3 hours ago, BIG X said:

As well as flightradar24 there is also a live Kabul Airport webcam here...

 

https://www.geocam.ru/en/online/kabul-ptz/ 

 

...it's very busy - plenty of Hercs & Globemasters taking off.  A Globemaster from the SAC heavy lift wing has just landed too.

 

I have no idea who is manning this live camera - but they are up on a hill on the edge of town - very interesting stuff.

This live webcam went off as darkness approached.  Kabul is 3.5 hours ahead of us - I will check it again tomorrow morning.  If you click on it now it is playing the daylight footage from today.  If you try it tomorrow - don't forget to click on the LIVE button at the bottom left of the screen.

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3 hours ago, BIG X said:

I have no idea who is manning this live camera - but they are up on a hill on the edge of town - very interesting stuff.

 

Cannot imagine that the person streaming this would be too hard to find to anyone on the ground as there are some pretty identifiable features in the immediate area , must have them made out of stainless steel to be streaming a live feed to the outside world in the current circumstances.     Well done.

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Richard E, thanks for the info on the KC's, helps me understand a bit more about what's going on.... If anyone knows....

there's been a lot of activity again today, wonder how long it will take to fly out all the Brit troops...

 

Cheers

Dave

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And US Navy ones as well. This morning also noted some AC130U Ghost Riders showing up around Dubai. The tracks stop just after leaving Dubai airspace, so presumably and quite understandably, they don't want people to know where they are going, although not difficult to guess the general area. 

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On 8/27/2021 at 6:57 AM, Swamp Donkey said:

There’s been a couple of ZS- registered Caravans around too. Not sure of their mission in and around Kabul

 

SD

Probably operated for the UN. 

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