Aerial exercises or something else over Europe? 2018-01-10

Reports on twitter from EU: multiple U-2S, numerous other surveillance craft.

twitter.com...

originally posted by: mbkennel
Reports on twitter from EU: multiple U-2S, numerous other surveillance craft.

twitter.com...

Black Sea..Ukraine. Likely that goes on all the time, they already have other spy craft around that area. An Us spy plane, (not a U2) was buzzed a year ago around there.

originally posted by: mbkennel
Reports on twitter from EU: multiple U-2S, numerous other surveillance craft.

twitter.com...

Multiple U-2s ?
Headed to a "boneyard" or a museum

originally posted by: Gothmog

Multiple U-2s ?
Headed to a "boneyard" or a museum

I wouldn't think so, some variants even got upgraded in the late first decade new millennium.

U2 has a forward ops base near me in england where there are regular ops staged from.
today was a change over day so one aircraft has arrived today from stateside passing over scotland
on the way in and the aircraft already here will be departing soon for home back in the US.

i also saw some reports of another U2 tracking west over southern europe so may well be another one
on its way home from ops in the mid east.

Also the same base near me has welcomed 3 B52H's from Minot over here for a few weeks for an up coming EX.

a reply to: mbkennel

The U-2s are swapping out. They run six month rotations, and the departing aircraft usually stays for about a week, while the incoming aircrew gets familiar with operations and the area. Then they'll depart back for Beale.

Three B-52s from Minot arrived yesterday for an exercise. Two went to Fairford, and one diverted to Mildenhall. He left there this morning for Fairford. There are rumors that more bombers will join them, but nothing official. Two of the B-52s should start flying today, but the one that diverted, had to divert due to maintenance issues, so probably won't fly until tomorrow.

a reply to: mbkennel

Pics, or it didn't happen.

a reply to: mbkennel


The RC-135 is 62-4134, Rivet Joint. It's his rotation through Mildenhall.