Using ADS-B Data And Satellite Imagery To “Observe” Interesting Military Aircraft Movements (And Intercepts)
New open source tools complement ADS-B and allow you to spot military activities (including close encounters) all around the world. We have been researching ADS-B as a tool to carry…
Vulnerable To Cyber Attacks, ADS-B May Expose F-22s To Web Based Tracking GAO Warns
A new report highlights the risks of ADS-B transponders. But it focuses on technology rather than operation security. We have been writing about this topic since 2011. As most of…
Predator drones to be equipped with ADS-B system to fly cooperatively and safely in the U.S. airspace
Aircraft enthusiasts' dream of tracking drones on FlightRadar24 or PlaneFinder as the fly in the U.S. airspace, may soon become a reality. The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, the manufacturer of…
NASA's Ikhana MQ-9 drone flies with ADS-B equipment for the first time
On Mar. 15, for the first time ever at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center a Ikhana MQ-9 unmanned aircraft (modified Reaper) flew with an Automated Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B transponder. It…
Following the Ryanair diversion to Fiumicino by means of ADS-B
An increasing number of aircraft enthusiasts and spotters around the world have been using receivers portable Mode-S/ADS-B receiving station and relative software for real-time tracking of flights on a sort…
Unauthorised Drones Continue to Plague U.S. Air Force Bases in the UK
A comprehensive look at how the situation, which an anonymous U.S. official said appears to be coordinated and not the work of hobbyists, has unfolded so far. Since Nov. 20,…
Russian Ships Shadowed Through English Channel by Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Patrols
Frigate Admiral Golovko, tanker Vyazma, and intelligence ship Yantar were traced heading westwards through the Channel by frigate HMS Iron Duke, Merlin HM2 helicopters and RAF P-8 Poseidons. After departing…
MiG-29, MiG-21, and Two F-22s Carry Out Memorial Flyover For Col. (Ret.) Gail Peck At Nellis AFB
An unusual formation flew over Nellis AFB to honor retired U.S. Air Force Col. Gail Peck, "Bandit 1", who passed away recently. On Oct. 10, 2024, retired Col. Gaillard R.…
RAF Rivet Joint Completes Historic Surveillance Mission Along NATO’s border from Mediterranean to Barents Sea
A Royal Air Force RC-135W Rivet Joint has become the first allied aircraft to complete a full transit along NATO's eastern border, from the southernmost point of Greece to the…
First Wedgetail AEW1 Receives Royal Air Force Paint Scheme
The Royal Air Force's first E-7A Wedgetail, designated Wedgetail AEW1, has now been painted in full military colors, although the fin flash appears to have been applied backward. Less than…
Rare Russian-Made, U.S.-Operated Mi-17 Helicopter Spotted in South Carolina
A number of Mi-17 helicopters are believed to be operated by the U.S. Army’s secretive Aviation Technology Office, which also provides aviation support to special operations forces during covert missions.…
Royal Air Force E-7 Wedgetail Completes First Post-Conversion Test Flight
The first of three Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning aircraft ordered by the Royal Air Force completed its first test flight on Sept. 20, 2024 following conversion at Birmingham…
E-6 ‘Doomsday Plane’ Plays Key Role in Simulated Minuteman III Launch Test, Validating ICBM Readiness
E-6 Mercury Enhances Strategic Command and Control in Simulated ICBM Launch. Airmen and Sailors from several military units, including the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron (STOS), the 576th Flight Test Squadron…
U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk Drone Lands in UK for the First Time to Temporarily Operate from RAF Fairford
While at RAF Fairford, the RQ-4 will conduct operations through international and Allied airspace, implementing the U.S. Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept. A U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk…
First Look at the P-8A Poseidon’s New Multi-Mission Pod
The MMP, currently being tested on the P-8, was internally funded by Boeing and is intended to carry sensors that are not organic to the Poseidon. We might have got…
North Korean ‘Poop Balloons’ Close Seoul Airport in Another Harassment Raid
Whether the escalation of balloon activity is a precursor to additional military activity or the emergence of a new normal for surveillance, testing and propaganda operations remains to be seen.…
Airbus Tests NH90 Special Forces Variant As NH Industries Launches Block 1 Upgrade
The two programs are part of the NH90 evolution roadmap and constitute a major upgrade in terms of capabilities for the European helicopter. Airbus announced the beginning of the flight…
U.S. Air Force E-11A Communications Node Supports Gaza Humanitarian Aid Drops
The U.S. Air Force has been using its high-tech E-11A Battle Airborne Communications Node (BACN) to coordinate humanitarian airdrops over Gaza since March 2024. Alongside recently released photos, the U.S.…
Eyes On Mediterranean And Black Sea: U.S. Navy MQ-4Cs Expand Operations In The 6th Fleet Area Of Responsibility
The Tritons recently delivered to Naval Air Station Sigonella have been busy lately, flying missions off Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, with some rare trips to the Black Sea.…
Russian Navy Deployment Arrives in Cuba Under Watchful Eye of NATO Military Forces
A Russian naval deployment to Havana, Cuba comprising a frigate, nuclear submarine and support vessels arrived at its destination on June 12, 2024, after attracting the attention of NATO military…
Slovenia To Get Second C-27J Spartan
Slovenian Air Force will receive a second C-27J Spartan multi-role military transport aircraft along with related logistics and training services. A second C-27J Spartan for the Slovenian Air Force, along…
USAF AC-130J Gunship Aircraft Tracked Online During Air Strike in Iraq
US DoD confirmed precision airstrikes against two facilities in Iraq. AC-130J gunship spotted flying on public aircraft tracking sites. On Nov. 21, 2023, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that it…
Independent Investigation Team Presents New Theory On The Disappearance of MH370
Retired Air Traffic Management programme manager Jean-Luc Marchand and ex A330 Captain Patrick Blelly gave a lecture on the MH370 flight’s refined trajectory at the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS). With…
Wagner Group Chief Prigozhin Dead In Plane Crash Near Moscow – Reports
Prigozhin's Embraer Legacy 600 jet was flying from Moscow to Saint Petersburg, when it crashed during the climb in the Tver region, north of Moscow. The Embraer Legacy 600 private…
Evacuation Of French, Italian Nationals From Niger Underway
Aircraft from the French and Italian Air Force are involved in the repatriation of civilians from Niger. French and Italian flights have started repatriation of nationals from Niamey, the capital…
The U.S. Military Wants To Limit Flight Tracking Of Its Aircraft
The move is supposed to mitigate the operational security threats posed by open-source ADS-B systems. Earlier this year, we reported about the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command making a…
T-7A Red Hawk Completes First Flight With U.S. Air Force Pilot
This first USAF flight, which validated key aspects of the next-generation trainer, marks the start of the engineering and manufacturing development phase. A U.S. Air Force test pilot finally flew…
Azerbaijan Signs Contract To Purchase The Leonardo C-27J NG Spartan
Azerbaijan becomes 17th nation to buy the Leonardo C-27J. "The commercial collaboration between Italy and Azerbaijan has been strengthened with the signing of the contract for the supply of the…
We Have Taken Part In An Arctic Challenge Mission Aboard A KC-135 Tanker
We refueled Belgian F-16s, Italian and Dutch F-35s during Arctic Challenge 23, the premier Nordic large-force, live-fly field training exercise. About 150 aircraft and approximately 2,700 coalition personnel from 13…
U.S. RC-135 Intelligence Gathering Jet Flying Unprecedented Mission Inside Finland’s Airspace
Operating from the Finnish airspace, the U.S. ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) aircraft can spy on the Russian forces near the border with Finland. Flying as JAKE 11, the Boeing RC-135W…
U.S. Air Mobility Command Removes Tail Numbers And Unit Markings From Aircraft For OPSEC
C-130s and KC-135s have been spotted flying in a plain grey livery with low-visibility USAF roundels and a small US flag on the tail. The U.S. Air Force Air Mobility…
Here’s Our First Look At A British Supplied Sea King Helicopter In Ukrainian Service
First British Sea King helicopter has been delivered and received Ukrainian markings. The Ukrainian Navy has received the first WS-61 Sea King helicopter supplied by the UK. The video, providing…
US MC-130J Airdrops Cruise Missiles With Rapid Dragon Deployment System During Test In Norway
The Rapid Dragon deployment system contained JASSM-ER long-range cruise missiles. An MC-130J Commando II from the 352nd Special Operations Wing airdropped a Rapid Dragon deployment system containing long-range cruise missiles…
Scaled Composites Model 401 Testing Possible Directed Energy Weapon Payload
The mysterious pod appeared two years ago, but a new artwork might shed some light on its function. One of the most mysterious aircraft currently being used for flight testing…
Radio Comms, Tracks And All The Details About The Interception Of The ‘Ghost Jet’ Last Week
The "Ghost Private Plane" flew across Europe escorted by fighter jets who unsuccessfully tried to establish a radio contact, before tragically crashing in the Baltic Sea. A clip provides all…
Let’s Talk About The Chinese Y-20 Delivering Weapons To Serbia Recently
The six Y-20 cargo aircraft landed in Belgrade to deliver FK-3 surface-to-air missiles as the Serbian military continues to rearm. During the night between April 8 and 9, 2022, six…
Canada Selects The F-35 And Enters Into Negotiations With Lockheed Martin For 88 Stealth Jets
Canada is closer to replace its CF-188 Hornet with the F-35 stealth aircraft. As part of the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) Canada aims to replace the Royal Canadian Air…
We Updated Our ORBAT Map With All The Assets Deployed Across Eastern Europe For The Ukrainian Crisis
Two weeks after the invasion of Ukraine, NATO and its partners continue standing alert to protect Europe’s Eastern flank. Two weeks after the beginning of the Russian invasion in Ukraine,…
Italian F-35s And Eurofighters Escorted Two U.S. B-52s Over Italy During Return From Black Sea Region Mission
The American Bombers integrated with Italian Air Force F-35s and Eurofighters and Hellenic Air Force F-16s during their long mission to Romania and Bulgaria. On Mar. 7, 2022, two U.S.…
F-35 Tracking Online As It Flies A Mission Over Poland Near Ukrainian Border
An F-35A flew a mission over Eastern Europe and could be tracked online. But don't freak out about OPSEC: it was almost certainly done on purpose. In the morning on…
Ukrainian Crisis: NATO Order Of Battle (Updated)
NATO’s build-up continues following the invasion of Ukraine, with multiple fighter jets relocating and reinforcements arriving on the Eastern flank. As we reported in the last 24 hours, following the…
Let’s Try To Understand What’s Happening In Ukraine Using OSINT
OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) analysis on social media platforms and flight tracking websites provides insights into the highly dynamic situation with many new details every minute. As it is being…
Special Operations Aircraft Tracking Online Near The Border As U.S. Evacuated Embassy In Ukraine
Flight tracking websites and apps may have provided first row seats on the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy Diplomats in Ukraine to all those online last night. As you probably…
Ukrainian Crisis: NATO Order Of Battle
Let’s Talk About NATO’s Buildup In Response To The Ukrainian Crisis And All The Assets Involved In The Region. In a situation reminiscent of the Cold War, the last few…
Two U.S. F-16s From Aviano AB Have Carried Out A Mission Over Eastern Europe Carrying Live Missiles Today
Photos taken today prove at least two Vipers of the 31st Fighter Wing launched from Aviano with live air-to-air missiles. Two U.S. Air Force F-16CM Fighting Falcon aircraft belonging to…
Everything You Need To Know About The Recent B-52’s 24-HR Mission Across The Med And Red Sea Regions
The BUFF took off from RAF Fairford, where it is deployed as part of Bomber Task Force Europe, and integrated with Typhoons, F-15s and F/A-18s during a long-range presence patrol.…
Canada Rejects Boeing’s Proposal For CF-188 Hornet Replacement Program
The proposal based on the Super Hornet reportedly did not meet the requirements set by the government, leaving only two contenders for the new fighter aircraft. Boeing might be out…
DARPA’s X-61A Gremlin Air Vehicle (GAV) Recovered Inflight For The First Time
The successful test follows last year’s failed attempt when the drones moved within inches from recovery, however one X-61 was also lost due to an unexpected power system issue. The…
Fairchild AFB Launched The Largest KC-135 MITO (Minimum Interval Take Off) Mission In Base’s History Last Week
The KC-135 MITO was part of a proficiency and readiness exercise to validate Fairchild’s maintenance generation and the ability to launch multiple aircraft in rapid succession. On Sept. 29, 2021,…
Everything You Need To Know About ‘Aquila Omnia’, Italy’s Air Bridge To Evacuate Civilians From Afghanistan
As part of "Aquila Omnia", the Italian Air Force deployed 4 C-130J cargo aircraft to transport personnel from Kabul to Kuwait, where 3 KC-767A tankers are then ready to fly…
Israel Tested An Airborne Laser To Shoot Down Drones
The Israeli airborne laser prototype achieved a 100% success rate against target drones over the sea at different altitudes and ranges above one kilometer. The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced…
Top Aces Aggressor F-16 Flies For The First Time In The U.S.
The former Israeli F-16 flew from the Top Aces’s facilities at Phoenix Mesa Gateway airport and is the first 4th generation fighter flown by private “Red Air”. The Canadian company…
DARPA And Northrop Grumman Working On Blackjack Network’s Payload To Reduce Impact Of GPS Jamming
Blackjack will create a cheaper, easier to upgrade and less vulnerable autonomous satellite network for military communications, navigation and possibly early warning. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has…
VP-46 P-8A Poseidon Draws Large “46” Over Eastern Med Sea On Its Way To The Area Of Operations Off Syria
A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon of Patrol Squadron 46 drew a "46" over the eastern Mediterranean Sea, clearly visible on flight tracking websites. On Apr. 3, 2021, a P-8A Poseidon…
10 Years Ago Today, The Beginning Of The Air War In Libya
On this date in 2011, "Odyssey Dawn", as the allied air campaign in Libya was initially dubbed, began. Here's our retrospective analysis. On Mar. 19, 2011, a medium scale operation…
Check Out These Jaw-Dropping Shots Of The B-2 Spirit Refueling From a KC-135 After The Super Bowl Flyover
The B-2 Spirit was part of the first-of-its-kind trifecta flyover during the National Anthem performance at the LV Super Bowl. As you already know by now, the Super Bowl LV,…
U.S. Forces Conduct A New Multi-Domain Exercise With F-16s, KC-135s, P-8A And RQ-4B Over The Black Sea
The new Multi-Domain exercise follows the lead of the last summer’s drills, while continuing to increase the presence of the United States in the Black Sea region. The U.S. Air…
Check Out This Photo Of A U.S. AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship Refueling At Night In The Persian Gulf Area
The U.S. Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider gunships are a constant presence in the CENTCOM AOR (Area Of Responsibility). The picture in this post shows an AC-130J Ghostrider being refueled at…
First C-27J Next Generation Spotted With Brand New Camouflage Color Scheme
The first C-27J Next Generation has flown with a new camouflage color scheme that may give a hint about the undisclosed first customer. On Dec. 16, 2020, the first C-27J…
U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress Bombers Conduct Short-Notice Long-Range Deterrence Mission Into Middle East
U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers from Minot Air Force Base have conducted a surprise, round-trip to the Persian Gulf area "to deter aggression and reassure U.S. partners and…
The C-27J Next Generation Enters The Final Testing Phase
Leonardo will begin the deliveries of the enhanced C-27J Spartan from 2021. The Italian aerospace firm Leonardo recently announced that the C-27J Spartan Next Generation entered the final testing phase.…
Dissecting The U.S. Hostage Rescue Operation In Nigeria: Here Are All The Assets That Took Part In The Raid
American hostage Philip Walton was rescued in northern Nigeria last month and several U.S. aircraft supported the operation. Early on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, members of the Navy’s elite “SEAL…
“SEAL Team Six” Makes Dramatic Predawn Hostage Rescue of American in Nigeria.
American Philip Walton Rescued in Daring Nighttime Raid Based on CIA Intelligence. Intelligence gathered by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency using sophisticated cell phone surveillance was used to locate and…
The Protector RG Mk1 For The Royal Air Force Has Flown For The First Time
The New Remotely Piloted Aircraft System Will Replace The British MQ-9A Reapers. General Atomics (GA-ASI) performed the first flight of the Royal Air Force’s new Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, the…
Yes, U.S. RC-135s Have Used Bogus Hex Codes To Transmit A False Identity. But It’s Not To Fool China Or Other Enemies.
The U.S. Air Force intelligence aircraft have been using fake Mode-S codes, but this doesn't give any real operational advantage. It just fuels some crazy conspiracy theory. On Sept. 7,…
The U.S. Army’s First Ever Manned ISR ARTEMIS Jet Has Carried Out Missions Over Georgia And Abkhazia
After Flying Multiple Missions From Kadena Air Base, Japan, the experimental ARTEMIS (Airborne Reconnaissance and Targeting Multi-Mission Intelligence System) Deployed to the Black Sea Region. The ARTEMIS, is the U.S.…
U.S. RC-135U Combat Sent Flies 11-Hour Mission Quite Close To The Russian Airspace Over The Barents Sea
Taken off from RAF Mildenhall, UK, the aircraft conducted an intelligence gathering mission off Murmansk, over the waters known to be exercise areas for the Russian Northern Fleet. On Aug.…
For The First Time In History Israeli Combat Aircraft Have Landed In Germany To Take Part in Blue Wings 2020 Exercise
Six IAF F-16C/D "Barak" Jets supported by G550 CAEW, B707 tankers and C-130 Have Just Landed At Nörvenich Air Base. On Aug. 17, 2020, six Israeli Air Force F-16C/Ds "Barak",…
Blue Angels’ New “Fat Albert” C-130J Diverted To Boston By A Caution Light In The Cockpit On Its Way To The U.S.
The C-130J was flying from Cambridge, UK, to Fort Worth, but had to divert to Boston to solve an issue with the aircraft. The Blue Angels’ support aircraft, the C-130J…
U.S. Air Force and Navy Perform Joint Exercise over the Black Sea (With Live Weapons)
The unusual Sunday exercise saw the participation of F-16s armed with live air-to-air weapons. The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy performed a joint exercise in the Black Sea on…
U.S. F-16s Involved in JASSM Cruise Missile Tactics Training Take Part In “All Domain Mission” Over The Black Sea
F-16s from Aviano AB conducted training scenarios utilizing Joint Air-to-Surface Missile (JASSM) cruise missile tactics during latest Black Sea drills. An interesting exercise was carried out in international airspace over…
The Blue Angels’ New “Fat Albert” Flies for The First Time
The team’s new C-130J performed a 4-hours Functional Check Flight from Cambridge in preparation for the ferry flight to the United States. The Blue Angels’ new C-130J “Fat Albert” performed…
Rare Brazilian Air Force C-130M Hercules Makes Stopover In Italy On Its Way To Israel.
The aircraft, sporting an exotic camouflage paint scheme, made a stop in Pisa before continuing to Ovda, Israel. A pretty interesting visitor landed at Pisa Airport on Jul. 6, 2020:…
Let’s Have a Look at the Recent U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon Mission To Watch A Russian Navy Firing Exercise Off Syria
"PS191" watched Russian Navy vessel firing rockets off Tartus. An interesting event took place on Jun. 19, 2020, near Syria. On that day, Cyprus had a NOTAM (Notice To AirMen)…
A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon Has Carried Out An Unusual ISR Mission Off Libya Recently
The American aircraft has rarely been tracked off North Africa. We have been observing U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon flying in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions for years. The American…
Italian Air Force F-35s Deploy To Iceland for NATO Icelandic Air Policing Again
Six F-35A jets will operate from Keflavik for one month as part of Operation “Northern Lightning II”. The Italian Air Force is deploying its F-35A 5th generation aircraft in Iceland…
British Sentinel R1 Intercepted by Russian Su-30SM over the Black Sea while U.S. B-1s Were in the Same Area Last Week
A video emerged showing the Flankers keeping a safe distance from the ISR aircraft A short video surfaced online on May 29, 2020 showing a Royal Air Force Sentinel R1…
The Weird Story Of The Alleged Armed Incursion From The Sea And Coup Attempt in Venezuela
Venezuelan Government claims to have captured two American contractors allegedly involved in a foiled coup attempt. We also take a look at the flying activity off Venezuela. U.S. News outlets…
Rare Samaritan’s Purse DC-8 Cargo Aircraft Airlifts An Emergency Field Hospital to Italy For COVID-19 Pandemic
An interesting 52 years old aircraft delivered equipment and medical specialists to Italy to support Covid-19 emergency response. On Mar. 17, 2020, at 21.18LT a DC-8-60/70, registration N782SP, departed from…
U.S. F-15Cs And RNoAF F-35As Escorted B-2 Bombers During Mission Over Iceland.
The B-2s of the BTF 20-2 have flown a mission to Iceland. On Mar. 16, 2020, flying as MISTY 11-12 two B-2A Spirit bombers belonging to the 509th Bomb Wing…
Airbus A320 With 172 Passengers On Board Nearly Hit By Syrian Air Defense During Israeli Raid
An A320 had to make an emergency landing at Khmeimim air base, in Syria, after Syrian air defense almost hit the airliner according to the Russian MoD. News outlets around…
RAF 120 Squadron Returns To The UK With the First British Poseidon MRA Mk.1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft
The squadron will move to the final homebase at RAF Lossiemouth later this year. Three months after the delivery of the first Poseidon MRA Mk.1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft at NAS…
U.S. Air Force E-11A BACN (Battlefield Airborne Communications Node) Aircraft Has Crashed in Afghanistan
Images coming from Ghazni clearly show the remains of a USAF E-11A BACN aircraft. A U.S. Air Force’s E-11A BACN (Battlefield Airborne Communications Node) crashed during the morning on Jan.…
U.S. Navy Now Jamming GPS Over Six States and 125,000 Square Miles.
FAA Issues Advisory for Pilots: Large Military GPS Jamming Exercise in Southeast. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a flight advisory for January 16-24 warning civilian and commercial…
Let’s Talk About The Israeli F-35I Adir That Appeared (Again) on Flight Tracking Websites
F-35s can be tracked online almost daily. However, the fact that the IDF allowed journalists to post the screenshots of its stealth jet tracking on FR24.com is worth a comment.…
Ukrainian 737 Crashes Shortly After Take Off From Tehran. Unverified Video Of Airliner Going Down Fuels Speculations.
Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 has crashed in Tehran. The incident occurred few hours after the Iranian strikes on U.S. Forces in Iraq, sparking speculations it was shot down by…
First Two Of Six B-52 Bombers Deploying To Diego Garcia Amid Growing Tensions With Iran
The strategic bombers and their support tankers could be tracked online as they moved from Barksdale Air Force Base to the American outpost in the Indian Ocean as part of…
[Updated] Somali Terrorist Group Attacks Manda Bay Airfield, Kenya, Destroying U.S. Shadowy Surveillance Aircraft
Everything we know about the terrorist attack on "Camp Simba", Kenya, and the U.S. Special Operations Command aircraft destroyed there. On Sunday Jan. 5, 2020, at around 05:30AM LT, the…
What Are Iran’s Capabilities to Retaliate Against the U.S. Forces After Soleimani Strike?
Iran’s Limited Conventional Response Capabilities May Have Ominous Implications. Behind the headlines of the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Quds…
Online Flight Tracking Provides A Look At The US Build Up In Middle East Following the Attack on US Embassy In Iraq
Here’s everything we know about the deployment that followed the attack on the US embassy in Baghdad which involved at least 30 aircraft (that could be tracked online via ADS-B).…
London Rocked By Sonic Boom Generated By RAF Typhoons Scrambled To Respond To Unresponsive Aircraft
Everything You Need To Know About The Supersonic Intercept And Sonic Boom That Rocked London At 04:16AM. On Dec. 1, 2019, at approx 0400z two Royal Air Force Typhoons on…
First Poseidon MRA Mk.1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft delivered to the Royal Air Force
The aircraft will stay at NAS Jacksonville until next year. The Royal Air Force took delivery of the first P-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft during a ceremony at the Boeing plant…
Four U.S. B-52s Of Bomber Task Force Europe 20-1 Have Deployed to RAF Fairford, UK
The “Buffs” arrived a few weeks after the departure of the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers. The U.S. Air Force deployed a Bomber Task Force of four B-52H and 350 airmen…
Let’s Talk About The Story Of A German Radar Vendor That Claims To Have Tracked Two F-35s With Passive Radar
A German radar vendor tracked the F-35 jets in 2018 from a pony farm. But it turns out the aircraft were flying with radar reflectors and ADS-B transponder (that could…
U.S. B-2 Stealth Bomber, Two F-15Cs and Two RAF F-35Bs Integrate During Training Mission Over UK
While we don't know what type of "integration" mission the aircraft flew, it turned out to be a great opportunity for some cool air-to-air photographs. The B-2A Stealth Bombers deployed…
U.S. Air Force’s B-52 Flies a +30 Hour Nonstop Mission To Perform A Show Of Force During Ex Eager Lion 19 in Jordan
Flying from its homebase in the U.S. the heavy bomber once again integrated in the drills. But this time it could tracked online as it flew over Jordan. A U.S.…
A Dozen U.S. F-22 Raptor Stealth Jets Make Their Return To The Persian Gulf Region
Nine Langley Raptors have returned to the Air Forces Central Command Area of Responsibility. Three more coming in the next days. Here are all the details. On Jun. 27, 2019,…
Two German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons Crash After Midair Collision. Pilots Reported Ejected.
Two Eurofighters have just crashed near Laage. Luftwaffe (German Air Force) has confirmed that two GAF Typhoons crashed after colliding midair in northeastern Germany shortly before 14.00LT (12.00 GMT) on…
RAF F-35B Aircraft Deployed To Cyprus Today To Take Part In Their First Overseas Training Exercise
“The Dambusters” are on the move with their F-35B stealth aircraft. Earlier today, British F-35B aircraft took off from their homebase at RAF Marham, UK, for their first overseas deployment.…
Tracking The U.S. B-52 Bombers Deploying To Qatar In Response To Iranian Threat In The Persian Gulf
The U.S. Air Force is positioning four B-52s to Qatar. And, for the very first time, at least one of the Stratofortress bombers could be tracked online as it deployed…
Tracking U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon Aircraft Missions Across The Mediterranean Region
VP-9 "Golden Eagles" Poseidons currently deployed to NAS Sigonella, Italy, are quite busy these days. Four P-8 Poseidon aircraft belonging to U.S. Navy's Patrol Squadron 9 (VP-9), from Naval Air…
Basically, Carrier Strike Group 4 Is Jamming GPS Across U.S. Southeast Coast
"AOPA estimates that more than 2,000 airports—home bases to more than 28,600 aircraft—are located within the area’s lowest airspace contour." GPS has become increasingly important to our lives. Not only…
RAF Tornado GR4 Jets Return Home After Flying Their Final Operational Sortie From RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus
The end of an era: "Tonka" have returned to RAF Marham from their last tour of duty. On Jan. 31, 2019, the RAF launched the final operational sortie of the…
Analysis: Tracking All The U.S. Intelligence Gathering Missions Over the Black Sea After The Kerch Strait Incident
The United States intensified its ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) presence in the Black Sea after Kerch Strait incident. Here's an analysis. Following the incident in the Kerch Strait near Crimea…
Russia blocks passage in Kerch Strait Near Crimea, Deploys Su-25 Jets And Ka-52 Attack Helicopters.
Moscow has blocked passage through the Kerch Strait, between Crimea and mainland Russia, after three Ukrainian navy ships made what the Russian authorities have called a violation of Russian territorial…
Everything We Know About The Delivery of Russian S-300 Missile Systems to Syria
Let's analyse if and how the Syrian scenario is going to change after the delivery of the S-300 air defense system to Assad. Images and video of the first Russian…
Let’s Have A Look At The Loadout Of The Two U.S. Air Force F-16s That Reportedly Operated Off Libya Last Saturday
Looks like two F-16s from Aviano were involved in a somehow "mysterious" mission over the Mediterranean Sea during last weekend. As the overnight trilateral strike on Syria on Apr. 13…
Let’s Talk About The Sightings Of F-117 Stealth Jets Flying Over Nevada Few Days Ago
10 years after their official retirement the "Black Jet" continues to fly. And no one seems to know what's the purpose of their secretive missions. Here's everything we know about…
Online Flight Tracking Provides Interesting Details About U.S. Spyplane and Russian Doomsday Aircraft Operating Over The Black Sea
Flight tracking websites expose a sort of "close encounter" between a U.S. Air Force RC-135 and some Russian Tu-214 special mission aircraft over the Black Sea. The Tupolev Tu-214SR is…
F-35 Stealth Aircraft Goes “Live” On Flight Tracking Websites As It Flies Mission Over Israel
An F-35, most probably one of the Adir jets recently delivered to the Israeli Air Force, appears on Flightradar24.com: deliberate action or just a case of bad OPSEC? On Jul.…
RAF Celebrates 100 Years with Spectacular Flyover in London
World’s Oldest Air Force Timed Massive Aerial Display to Perfection. It was the first independent air force in the world; the Royal Air Force, the RAF. On Tuesday, July 10,…
Footage Of Japan’s New Kawasaki C-2 ELINT Variant Operating From Iruma Air Base Emerges
New footage shows the intelligence gathering aircraft at Iruma Air Base. Footage and photographs have emerged of the Japanese Kawasaki C-2 Electronic Intelligence variant (also dubbed "RC-2") operating at Iruma…
Israeli Air Force Fires Patriot Missile At Drone That Approached Israel’s border with Syria
The missile launch did not result in a downing: the UAV moved away from the border and was not hit by the Patriot. The Israeli Air Force has just confirmed…
Russia’s New Tu-214ON Open Skies Surveillance Aircraft Tracked Online During Flights Over Taganrog Region
The new Tu-214ON has carried out a series of test flights in southwest Russia, close to the border with Ukraine. Tupolev is continuing the testing of the new Tu-214ON (Otkrytoye…
This Updated Chart Shows (Most Of) The Assets Involved in Apr. 14 Air Strike On Syria
This revised chart provides a good overview of the assets that took part in the Trilateral strikes on Syria last month. As our readers already know, in the night between…
Why Is A Swedish ELINT Aircraft Operating Off Lebanon and Syria These Days?
A Swedish Air Force heavily-modified Gulfstream IVSP aircraft used to perform ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) missions has joined the long list of ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) platforms operating in the eastern…
Everything We Know (And No One Has Said So Far) About The First Waves Of Air Strikes On Syria.
Syria Air War Day 1 explained. In the night between Apr. 13 and 14 aircraft from the U.S., UK and France launched a first wave of air strikes against ground…
Check Out This Cool Video Of Three B-2 Stealth Bombers Contrailing Over Kansas
The stunning sight of a B-2 Stealth Bomber 3-ship formation. Filmed on Apr. 4, the video below shows three B-2s over Pittsburg, Kansas. The stealth bombers headed southwest then made…
Eyes On Crimea: U.S. Intelligence Gathering Aircraft Increasingly Flying Over the Black Sea
Online flight tracking suggests increase in missions flown by U.S. manned and unmanned aircraft near Crimea. It's no secret that U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) belonging to…
Saab GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning & Control Aircraft Completes First Flight
Saab's new AEW&C aircraft has successfully completed its maiden flight. On Mar. 14, Saab GlobalEye, a modified Bombardier Global 6000 jet turned into surveillance platform, took off on its first…
This Video Shows A Russian Su-30SM Almost Getting “Into” The Cargo Bay Of An Il-76 Airlifter Involved In Air Drop Over Syria
An armed Russian Su-30SM gets much close to a UN Il-76 over Deir Ez Zor, Syria. The video in this post was reportedly filmed during a mission over Deir Ez…
U.S. Consindering Sale Of E-8C JSTARS Surveillance Aircraft To South Korea
According to a South Korean newspaper, Washington might sell the E-8 aircraft to Seoul. Meanwhile, a JSTARS frequently operates south of the DMZ. The E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar…
First Prototype Of Brazilian KC-390 Military Cargo Aircraft Almost Crashed During Stall Tests Last Month
Pilots of the KC-390 were only able to recover the aircraft 300 meters from the ground. Embraer has grounded the first prototype of the new KC-390 military cargo jet after…
Here Are Some Interesting Details About The Way U.S. B-2 Bombers Trained Over The U.S. To Strike North Korea
Some unusual activity took place in the skies over Missouri a couple of weeks ago. Including B-2s referring to air strikes on DPKR target on the radio. Just routine stuff…
With Three Flights To Batajnica, A Volga-Dnepr An-124 Cargo Has Delivered Six “New” MiG-29 Fulcrum Jets To Serbia
These are the first new (used and for the moment disassembled) combat aircraft for Serbia since 1987. Three pairs of partially disassembled MiG-29 Fulcrum jets destined to Serbia have been…
Russian Il-76 “Candid” Modified To Support Special Operations Conducts Flight Test Over The Black Sea
A special version of the Il-76MD-90A (Il-476) airlifter, developed for special forces support was tracked online during flight test recently. A really interesting aircraft was spotted conducting flight testing over…
French C-135FR Tanker Refuels U.S. Air Force B-52 Bomber Over Europe In Rare International Refueling Operation
This is something you don't see too often: a U.S. Stratofortress bomber refueled by a foreign tanker. On Sept. 25, a U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress deployed to RAF Fairford,…
These Spyplanes Are Watching North Korea’s Next Test
U.S. and South Korean intelligence gathering aircraft are monitoring Pyongyang's next move. Kim Jong Un says North Korea may soon test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean and, based…
Here Is How A U.S. Pre-Emptive Strike On North Korea Could Unfold
Forget the B-1s: TLAMs (Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles) and B-2s would probably start an eventual pre-emptive strike on Pyongyang. Although they have been involved in several "show of force" missions…
Here Is The Route A U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk Drone Is Currently Flying During A Surveillance Mission Over The Black Sea And Ukraine
A gigantic U.S. Air Force RQ-4 is currently flying over Ukraine, broadcasting its position for everyone to see. U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk UASs (Unmanned Aerial Systems) belonging to the 9th…
Wanna Know If A New North Korean Missile Test Is About To Take Place? Look For This U.S. Aircraft Online…
You can monitor online the U.S. RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft used to track ballistic missiles reentry vehicles and warheads during the final phase of flight. Early in the morning on…
U.S. Intelligence Gathering Aircraft Amass Off Syria As Assad Visits Russian Detachment Near Latakia
U.S. RC-135 Rivet Joint and other spyplanes operating in international airspace off Syria. While a WC-135 "nuke sniffer" flew towards the Black Sea. The White House's warning about an imminent…
Has An RC-135U Combat Sent Signal Intelligence Aircraft “Covered” The Two F-35A Stealth Jets Visiting Estonia?
Yesterday two USAF F-35A stealth aircraft performed a quick visit to Estonia. But their mission to the Baltic region was probably not only supported by a KC-135: an RC-135U and…
U.S. WC-135 nuclear sniffer airplane has left the UK heading towards Norway and the Barents Sea
The WC-135 Constant Phoenix has launched from RAF Mildenhall earlier today for a mission towards northern Europe and the Barents Sea. Interestingly, an RC-135W spyplane has launched from the same…
Gigantic U.S. Global Hawk drone could be tracked online while flying 21-hour mission over Libya
We can’t say whether it happened by accident or on purpose, but a U.S. unmanned spy aircraft broadcast its position for everyone to see while flying a long mission over…
All we know about the U.S. B-2 bombers 30-hour round trip mission to pound Daesh in Libya
In a massive two-aircraft nighttime precision strike supported by at least one armed drone U.S. Air Force stealth bombers have killed over 80 ISIL insurgents south of the coastal city…
You can track U.S. Navy private contractor dogfights online
Flightradar24 lets you track ATAC's fleet of private contractor aggressors that fly out of NAS Point Mugu and NAS Fallon. Whilst most of the interesting aircraft (namely fighters and attack…
“Mysterious” plane circling over Denver was “just” an E-6B Mercury “doomsday” plane
Photos and video of a "mysterious" plane circling over Denver are making the rounds. But the aircraft was "just" a U.S. Navy Doomsday plane. On Nov. 16 people in the…
U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk drone flew over Ukraine with transponder turned on for everyone to see
U.S. Air Force's gigantic Global Hawk drones have been flying over Ukraine for about two years. However, they recently let everyone know they were there. Reports of U.S. Air Force…
Russia’s most advanced spyplane has deployed to Syria again
After the first tour of duty in February 2016 the Tu-214R has returned to Latakia. To spy on Daesh (and also on the U.S. F-22s?) The Tu-214R is the most…
Flightradar24 exposes the presence of U.S. and allied ISR planes operating over Daesh stronghold in Iraq
Several spyplanes and drones keep an eye on Mosul, ISIS headquarters in northern Iraq. As our readers know, we've been reporting about U.S. and allied planes that can be tracked…
Watch 71 Russian military aircraft fly over Moscow during Victory Day air parade
Military planes flying over Moscow rooftops on Victory Day 71 combat planes and helicopters flew over central Moscow to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany…
Two years after MH370 there is a way for aviation enthusiasts to obtain location data from aircraft flying in remote areas
Amateur tracking software can monitor the signals sent by the aircraft to the Inmarsat network. On Mar. 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, a Boeing B777-200 aircraft (registration 9M-MRO), operating…
Russian Mi-28N Night Hunter gunship helicopter crashes in Syria killing both pilots
A Russian helicopter has crashed near Homs, Syria, killing the two pilots on board. A Russian Mi-28N Havoc combat helicopter, deployed to Hmeymim airbase, near Latakia, Syria, has crashed near…
A U.S. Global Hawk UAV might have popped up on Flightradar24
As North Korea conducted one of the largest-ever military drill a Global Hawk UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) could be tracked online. On Mar. 26, at around 12.00AM GMT, a weird…
TV signal relay plane flying over northwestern Belgium as Police raid in Brussels kills Paris attacks suspect
One of our readers has noted something interesting in the skies over Belgium. Our reader Guglielmo Guglielmi has noted something noteworthy in the airspace of northwestern Belgium: a Beech E90…
Here’s the first video of the Russian combat planes leaving Syria
The first group of Russian aircraft redeploying to Russia after Syria air war has left Hmeymim airbase. On Mar. 15, the Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu…
A U.S. E-6B Doomsday Plane is using “Trump” as radio callsign while flying over central U.S. right now
By accident or not, a U.S. Navy E-6B is flying over CONUS using callsign "Trump." This is really interesting: at 18.15 GMT an E-6B Mercury (TACAMO - “TAke Charge And…
Is a Turkish UAV currently operating inside the Iraqi airspace?
What might be an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is circling over the border between Turkey and Iraq. Increasingly, military aircraft as well as UAVs can be tracked online thanks to the…
Job done! Russia’s most advanced spyplane is returning home after deployment in Syria
The Tu-214R is currently returning to Russia after a 14-day deployment to Syria. The Russian Air Force Tu-214R ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) aircraft that was deployed to Syria on Feb.…
The Il-76 that failed UN’s first aid air-drop in Syria was escorted by Russian Su-35s
WFP Il-76 was escorted by Russian Air Force Su-35s over Syria. On Feb. 24, UN agency World Food Program, performed a first attempt to air-drop humanitarian aid to Syrians from…
Russia has just deployed its most advanced spyplane to Syria
A Russian Air Force Tu-214R is about to land at Latakia, Syria. The Tu-214R is a Russian ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) aircraft. In other words, a quite advanced spyplane. As…
New HD video shows Russian Su-35S Flankers at Latakia airbase
Last few seconds of this footage feature Russian Su-35S Flankers on the flightline at Latakia airbase. Taken at Hmeymim airbase, the following interesting video shows Russian combat planes involved in…
A Russian Su-34 Fullback bomber has violated the Turkish airspace yesterday
It looks like it has happened again.... Turkey has summoned the Russian envoy after a Russian Air Force Su-34 Fullback bomber allegedly violated the Turkish airspace during a mission from Hmeymim…
The Turkish Air Force suspends flights over Syria amid crisis with Russia over Su-24 downing
The Turkish Air Force is no longer supporting the air war on ISIS. According to Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper, the Turkish Air Force has suspended the missions over Syria of its aircraft…
Interesting video shows Il-78 tankers refueling a Tu-160 strategic bomber over the Caspian Sea
Watch this Il-78M Midas refueling a Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bomber over the Caspian Sea. As we have already explained, beginning on Nov. 17 the Russian Air Force Strategic Bomber fleet, has…
Here’s the alleged Audio of the Turkish Air Force warning the Russian Su-24 before downing it
Hear a Turkish Air Force radar station warning an unknown aircraft about to enter the Turkish airspace. On Nov. 24, a Russian Air Force Su-24M belonging to the contingent deployed…
All the key unanswered questions about the terrorist attacks on Paris
After little more than 24 hours from the Friday night's terror attacks in Paris let's have a look at the known and unknown facts. On Friday Nov. 13, starting at…
All the theories about the crash of Metrojet Flight 7K9268 into the Sinai Peninsula
What we know and what we don't know about the crash of Metrojet A321 in Egypt. On Oct. 31, at around 04.13 UTC, Metrojet flight 7K9268, an A321 flying from…
In what is probably a first, RT streamed live from Latakia as Russian jets launched war missions
RT streamed real-time the operations of the Russian Su-34s at Latakia airbase. Announced by a Tweet, for little less than 40 minutes, Ruptly (the video news agency belonging to RT)…
Impressive shots of Russian Su-24 and Su-34 jets launching at night from Latakia airbase in Syria
Russian Air Force Su-34s and Su-24s night operations at Latakia airbase. Released by the Russian MoD, the pictures in this post show Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer and Su-34 Fullback attack planes…
Russian Su-30SM performed a Visual ID intercept on a U.S. plane over Syria
A Russian Su-30 conducted a VID intercept on a U.S. aircraft over Syria. On Oct. 10, a Russian Su-30SM belonging to the contingent deployed to Latakia, in Syria, had a…
Watch this interesting video of the Russian planes (with Red Star painted over) at work in Syria
Take a look at what happens inside Latakia airbase, where the Russian Air Force contingent is based. The following exclusive video by RT brings you inside al-Assad International Airport, near…
Here’s an interactive map of all the Russian airstrikes in Syria
The Russian contingent has launched its airstrikes in Syria. And this interactive map shows them all. On Sept. 30, the Russian Air Force launched its first airstrikes in Syria (with…
Six Russian Su-34 Fullback bomber have just arrived in Syria. And this is the route they have likely flown to get there.
The Russian military build up continues as six Su-34 Fullback attack planes arrive in Syria. Six Sukhoi Su-34 aircraft have eventually arrived at Latakia to join the Russian contingent already…
Syrian Mig-29 Fulcrums escorted the 28 Russian jets that deployed to Latakia hiding under cargo planes
According to our sources, some (if not all) the Russian Air Force formations that arrived in Syria were "greeted" by Assad's Mig-29 Fulcrums. A U.S. official who spoke to FoxNews…
Here’s how the Russian Air Force moved 28 aircraft to Syria (almost) undetected
It's not easy to move 28 aircraft and keep the deployment confidential. Satellite imagery released in the last couple of days has exposed the presence of 28 Russian aircraft at…
Latest imagery shows 28 Russian aircraft (12 Su-24s, 12 Su-25s and 4 Su-30s) on the ground at airbase in Syria
Imagery taken on Sept. 21 shows 28 aircraft on the ground at Latakia airbase. A satellite image has finally unveiled the whole Russian Air Force contingent made of 28 combat…
New Satellite Image unveils an impressive line-up of 12 Russian Su-25 Frogfoot attack jets in Syria!
A new impressive photo unveils a large presence of Su-25 attack planes at airbase near Latakia. A new impressive satellite image has just been released. It shows at least 12…
Satellite image shows four Russian Su-30SM parked in the open air at airfield in Syria
Four Russian Flanker derivative have arrived at Latakia airport. Satellite images prove Russian combat planes have eventually deployed to Syria. The deployment, anticipated by an air bridge from Russia that…
Online flight tracking provides interesting details about Russian air bridge to Syria
Once again, Flightradar24.com provides an insight into military operations. This time, the Russian air bridge to Syria. Some days ago we explained how everyone (including low-tech terrorists "armed" with a…
While its aircraft can be tracked online, the U.S. Air Force only worries about Tweets….
Bad OPSEC (Operations Security) exposed by Air War on ISIS? "Loose Tweets Destroy Fleets” is the slogan (based on the U.S. Navy's WWII slogan "Loose Lips Sink Ships") that the…
A new Russian spyplane skirted the airspace of eastern Ukraine today
A new Russian Air Force Tu-214R could be tracked as it flew close to the border with Ukraine. Social media are going frenzy after a Russian Air Force Tu-214R was…
Airbus A400M airlifter crashes shortly after take off from Sevilla in Spain
An Airbus A400M aircraft crashed near Sevilla airport, in Spain, at 12:57 pm local time killing 4 crew members and injuring 2. On May, 9, the Airbus A400M with the…
Close encounters with Russian Su-27s as seen by a former RC-135 aircraft commander
“What passes for dangerous and provocative today was ho-hum to recon crews of my generation” former RC-135 commander says On Apr. 7, a U.S. RC-135U spyplane, was intercepted over the…
U.S. spyplane aggressively intercepted by Russian Su-27 over the Baltic Sea
It looks like a Su-27 Flanker performed a reckless intercept on a U.S. RC-135U over the Baltic Sea. On Apr. 7, a U.S. RC-135U flying in international airspace was intercepted…
Here’s where a U.S. spyplane sought terrorists behind Bardo museum attack in Tunisia
A civil registered U.S. King Air used to track high-value and time-sensitive targets, including people, has conducted some missions over western Tunisia. From Mar. 21 to 26, a U.S. Beechcraft…
U.S. drone crashed in Syria. Probably shot down by a Syrian SA-3 surface to air missile
An MQ-1 Predator crashed in Syria. According to Syria state media it was shot down by Syrian air defenses. The U.S. lost contact with an unarmed MQ-1 Predator drone on…
Incredible dashcam footage captures Taiwan plane crash
Shocking footage shows the ATR-72 turboprop plane banking sharply, hitting a cab and clipping a bridge before crashing into Keelung river, near Taipei. TransAsia flight GE 235, an ATR-72-600 with registration…
Photos from Aircraft involved in rescue mission to evacuate people trapped on burning ferry
Italian and Greek military and coast guard aircraft, helicopters and boats are battling strong winds and massive waves to rescue 478 people trapped on a burning ferry adrift between Italy…
Here’s all we know about the Indonesian Airbus 320 disappeared over Java Sea
AirAsia A320 gone missing in southeast Asia On Dec. 28, an Airbus A320-200, registration number PK-AXC, flying as AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501 from Juanda International Airport, Surabaya, to Changi Airport,…
Russian spyplane nearly collided with Airliner off Sweden. Again.
Russian planes that operate close to airspaces of northern European countries pose a threat to civil aviation. A civil plane, en route from Denmark to Poland, almost collided with a…
NASA’s demilitarized MQ-9 Predator B drone filmed Orion splashdown for NASA TV
The video of the Orion crew module Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) as it descended through the atmosphere until splashdown into the Pacific Ocean was filmed by Ikhana, NASA’s unmanned…
Swedish Spyplane “caught” flying off Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast
A Swedish Air Force Gulfstream IVSP Electronic Intelligence plane could be tracked as it flew in the airspace off Kaliningrad Oblast, where some of the most active Russian bases in…
War in the Web 2.0 era: how Air Forces deal (or don’t) with Internet-based flight tracking tools
During Libya air war, you could track Canadian tankers circling over the Mediterranean Sea while they refueled allied planes heading to bomb Gaddafi. Three years later, nothing has changed. Flightradar24…
U.S. airborne communication plane could be tracked on the Web for 9 hours during air strike that killed Taliban leaders in Afghanistan
At least seven Taliban militants were killed following a NATO air raid Afghanistan. Noteworthy, a sign of the developing operation may have been a U.S. Air Force E-11A BACN plane…
With U.S. airstrikes in progress airspace over Iraq has been closed to civilian flights
One of the busiest commercial routes went over Iraq. Until it was closed because of the U.S. air strikes against ISIS positions. Even if the situation in Iraq was already…
Drone’s eye view of giant Costa Concordia cruise ship leaving Giglio island towards scrapyard
Drones are escorting Costa Concordia providing a different point of the giant ship's final journey to the scrapyard. On Jan. 13, 2012 the Costa Concordia luxury cruise ship, ran aground…
Malaysian Boeing 777 with 295 people on board shot down over Eastern Ukraine
A Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in Ukraine near the Russian border after being hit from a surface to air missile. A Boeing 777 (9M-MRD)…
Putin’s Doomsday Plane circling near Finland for third day in a row as he visits his spiritual mentor
A Russian Tu-214R Special Mission Aircraft has been operating quite close to Finland's airspace for the last days. A Tupolev Tu-214SR, used as a communication relay aircraft often dispatched by…
A Russian “doomsday plane” is circling over Crimea right now
Just in case someone had doubts about air superiority over Crimea. The Tupolev Tu-214SR is a Russian Special Mission Aircraft believed to act as a communication relay aircraft. This kind…
All you need to know about MH370: facts, timelines, systems, findings, theories
Let's try to summarize all what is known to date about the mysterious MH370 flight. This post contains a complete review of all the Malaysia Airlines 370 story, with new…
Can you believe neither Malaysian nor Thai radars saw the Malaysia Airlines MH370 crashing?
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 might have flown for some time (from 2 to 5 hours, depending on the reports and sources) before disappearing. Provided this is true, why did nobody…
What we know and what we don’t about the mysterious Malaysia Airlines MH370 disappearance
Some 72 hours after contact with the Boeing 777 flying over the Gulf of Thailand was lost, what really happened to Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight remains a mystery. It's almost…
Stolen passports aboard Malaysia Airlines B777 disappeared enroute to Beijing
Authorities have confirmed that two names listed on the manifest of the missing Malaysian Airlines MH370 flight disappeared from radars 40 minutes from take off were stolen in Thailand. On…
You can track the first helium balloons of Google Project Loon’s aerial wireless network
Helium balloons of the future network that should give Internet to everyone in the world fortunately use ADS-B. If you point your browser to Flightradar24.com and zoom off the coast…
Air Malta planes draw heart shape in the sky to celebrate Valentine’s Day
At least two Air Malta flights flew a special flight path to celebrate Valentine's Day. On Feb. 14, Air Malta 14J, an Airbus 319, and Air Malta 216, an Airbus…
Here’s the position of the two U.S. Navy warships off Sochi for Olympics Security
U.S. Navy's USS Mount Whitney and USS Taylor have entered the Black Sea and are currently operating west of Sochi. An amphibious command ship and a guided-missile frigate, on a…
[Image] Super Typhoon Hiyan affecting air traffic in Southeast Asia
With sustained winds at 195 mph and gusting to 235 mph, Super Typhoon Haiyan is one of the strongest tropical cyclone in world history. After flattening Philppines, the storm is…
E-4B “Doomsday plane” over London right now. Supporting Air Force One return trip to the U.S.
Nicknamed “doomsday planes”, E-4B are modified B747-200s serve as National Airborne Operations Centers providing “a highly survivable, command, control and communications center to direct U.S. forces, execute emergency war orders…
Russia’s Emergencies Ministry’s evacuation plane just made a quick stop in Syria
Russia is evacuating nationals from Syria in anticipation of a U.S. strike on Damascus's Chemical Weapons arsenal. An Il-62 registered RA-86570 and belonging to the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations…
Wanna know if a strike on Syria is about to take place? Look for this large white plane
Whereas some media outlets are trying to find signs of an imminent air strike on Syria in some alleged (and unconfirmed) unusual movements in the UK base in Cyprus (Akrotiri)…
[Updated] Asiana Air 214 crash landing analysis: the B777 flew a high, fast and steep approach and almost stalled on final
On Jul. 6, 2013, at around 11.28 LT, Asiana Air 214 Heavy (OZ214), a Boeing 777-200 (HL7742) operated by Asiana Airlines from Seoul to San Francisco International with 291 people…
Inside the Pterodactyl UAS: sneak preview of China’s Predator clone mobile ground control station
Among the highlights of the recent Zhuhai Airshow, taking place from Nov. 13 to 18, there was China's clone of the U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone called the Wing Loong (Pterodactyl).…
Odd NOTAM unveils mysterious drone operations in the Las Vegas area
A NOTAM (Notice To Airmen) issued on the FAA website, provides some interesting information about UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) activity around the Sin City on Nov. 11. !HHR 11/014 ZLA…
Turkish Air Force F-16s fighter planes force Syrian civilian plane to land at Ankara airport for investigation
Syrian Air Flight 442 (RB442), an Airbus A320 registered YK-AKE suspected of carrying weapons from Moscow to Damascus was forced to land at Ankara Esenboğa Airport on Oct. 10, 2012.…
BAM(s)! The crash of a U.S. Navy Global Hawk in Maryland could be the end of the giant drone.
On Jun. 11, the U.S. Navy announced that one of its nearly 200M USD Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) demonstrator aircraft crashed during a test flight near Bloodworth Island in,…
[Animation] The Queen's Diamond Jubilee flypast over London as seen from a radar-like computer display
Click on the image to start animation The following animation showing the Queen's Diamond Jubilee flypast over Buckingham palace was recorded on PlanePlotter by John Locker. In this animation we…
Dramatic rescue operation after Puma helicopter ditches in North Sea with 14 people on board
On May 10, an Ec225 Super Puma helicopter, operated by the BOND Offshore Helicopters, registered G-REDW), made an emergency landing in the North Sea some 30 miles east of Aberdeen, Scotland. The…
The Space Shuttle Enterprise flying over New York City
On Apr. 27, Space Shuttle Enteprise, atop a NASA B747 SCA (Shuttle Carrier Aircraft) N905NA, from Washington Dulles airport, using radio callsign “Bovic 15 Heavy”, flew over New York City…
Enhanced Predator drone can stay airborne for 42 hours
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has designed field retrofitable capabilities–lengthened wings, wing-borne fuel pods, and new heavy-weight landing gear, capable to extend Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper’s already impressive endurance. Following…
Typhoons sonic boom during terrorist hijack alarm causes chaos in UK
At 18.10LT on Thursday Apr. 12 emergency agency telephone switch boards started receiving reports of a large bang or explosion that could be heard all over the southern UK. It…
North Korea's failed missile launch: a Korean Airlines A330 over East China Sea (temporarily) on the projected flight path
The news that has confirmed the launch of the Unha-3 rocket was announced by South Korea's YTN television network around 22.52GMT. As soon as the news spread, I checked Planefinder.net…
Boeing P-8A next generation anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol aircraft introduced. While test flights (that you can track on the Internet) continue
On Mar. 28, US Navy VP-30 at NAS Jacksonville took formally delivery of the first Boeing P-8A Poseidon. The next generation maritime multi-mission aircraft, whichwill eventually replace the P-3 Orion,…
A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) adds two new combat types: UAE Mirage 2000 and F-16 Block 60. And does it live on Flightradar24.com
Airbus Military has been very busy recently adding another two combat types able to be refueled from its A330 MRTT tanker aircraft, which has been ordered in three examples by…
Drones to gain greater freedom in US airspace (and become a safety nightmare)
The US Congress has approved legislation that will allow drones greater freedom over US airspace. The bill will give guidance to the Federal Aviation Administration over the next 4 years…
Cruise ship aground at Isola del Giglio: the role played by rescue helicopters
Update Jan. 16 21:37 GMT On Jan. 13, at around 21.45 LT, the Costa Concordia luxury cruise ship, ran aground on rocks off the Isola del Giglio Island. As a…
Forget any security concern and welcome Air Force One on Flightradar24!
In my article titled Would modern transponders have made the hijacked planes visible to radars on 9-11? about Mode-S and ADS-B usage I wrote: According to an esteem by Flightradar24.com, around…
The mysterious E-6B orbits over UK on the night Osama Bin Laden was killed
The first thing I did when Lee Armstrong told me to give a try to Planefinder's new search feature was to look for some E-6Bs, which are among the most…
"Turkish F-16s now able to hit Israeli planes": since when IFF can prevent a fighter from firing a missile?
Last week an article titled "Turkey F-16s can now hit Israel targets" made the news and spread quite quickly on the Internet. According to the article, Turkey has developed a…
Would modern transponders have made the hijacked planes visible to radars on 9-11?
As everybody know by now, on Sept. 11 2001, the first thing terrorists did as soon as they reached the cockpit of the four hijacked planes was turning the transponder…
The white FEST C-32 to Andrews AFB using an FBI callsign on a "black" mission?
Once again a Foreign Emergency Support Team C-32 (B757) with registration 02-4452, belonging to the 227 SOF (Special Operations Flight) based at McGuire AFB, NJ, appeared on both FlightRadar24 and…
The "black" USAF C-32B….Live on Flightradar24
One or two days ago, I read that Flightradar24.com had added a new feeder in Washington DC. So, on Sunday May 08, 2011 at 19.50 GMT I thought it would…
Operation Odyssey Dawn explained (Day 9)
Previous debriefings: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Quoting Libya's Jana national news agency RIA Novosti reported that the coalition…
Operation Odyssey Dawn explained (Day 6)
Previous debriefings: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 It's a pity that that the news of the "Libyan aircraft shot down by a French fighter after…
Operation Odyssey Dawn explained (Day 5)
Previous debriefings: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 The news of Day 5 is that the Libyan Arab Republic Air Force "no longer exists as a fighting force",…
Operation Odyssey Dawn explained (Day 3)
Previous debriefings: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 of Operation Odyssey Dawn showed how the air campaign in Libya has entered the "mobile SAMs hunt" phase. This is what the…
Operation Odyssey Dawn explained (Day 2)
In a few words Day 1 of Operation Odyssey Dawn saw the Build-up, the French "show of force", and the evening TLAM attack. More information can be found in my…
Libyan airspace most interesting movements of last week
At least two Internet resources have been providing a comprehensive set of tools to monitor on a 24 hours basis the traffic that has been operating in the airspaces between…
A400M test flight
An interesting flight could be monitored on Feb. 28, 2011, thanks to Flightradar24: a test flight of the Airbus A-400M F-WWMT (which uses the Mode S and it is "seen"…
Why Libyan Air Force aircraft pose a risk to Italy
When I wrote the article about the two Mirage F1s of the Libyan Air Force (Al Quwwatal Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Arabia al Libyya) that landed in Malta seeking asylum,…
