Military Aircraft Activity: CONUS

These three (3) specifically have been sporadic in tracking this evening so if someone visits the site and doesn't see them that may be why.

Two E6's up over the CONUS now

AS65

Atlantic City

Lakota

Phoenix

Interesting note concerning the JointSTARS: it's flight path repeated a pattern that's become quite familiar in the last few months - tracking ceases as it leaves US airspace heading south and resumes upon return, usually at or near point of departure.
Tonight, this JointSTARS was off-track south for over nine (9) hours, only returning a short while ago.

Yep, noted...

Chinook was up near Kansas City but keeps popping in and out.

Two Lakotas doing a search pattern near Lansing, MI.

Not sure if there's a connection but where that Chinook was maneuvering prior to vanishing is the area where the E-6B callsign FLORY69 made its first turn (90+degree to S heading) after crossing half CONUS.

And Nightwatch is back, over Iowa.

Somebody with relevant knowledge care to explain tonight's traffic? Theories...? Educated guess...?

I know that we are only seeing these A/C because responsible parties have deemed it so but surely this degree and type of traffic can't just be logging hours.

Is there anything that can be inferred about what we are not seeing by what we can?

Currently in the North Port/Ft Myers FL area -about 920-945 something fast was making a ton of sweeping passes about a half mile apart traveling south. Extremely low over the neighborhood and saw it about 6 times before the trees got in the way. Couldn’t get my internet to work until just now & saw this thread. Not sure if related but it definitely wasn’t a personal or private jet. Too fast and way too low, didn’t think military could run that close to ground nor in residential areas? Was too dark to see markings, only had tiny wingtip lights. Last seen heading southbound, I’d say with the passes being about 30-45 secs apart.

Last Edited by eV3y on 06/12/2020 10:50 PM

One Nightwatch is not that unusual.


And Two E6's are not that unusual.


I have seen as many as six E6's up at one time.


We have like twelve of those doomsday planes.

If you ever see seven airborne, put on your adult diapers.


As for tonight's activities, a little mysterious, but far from doomy just yet.

Ok, so I can put the Depends back in the closet. Gonna keep on the one I'm wearing because... well, just because. I may have jumped the gun a bit.

Serious question tho: the dozen or so Doomsday planes to which you were referring - meaning the E-6B's correct?

Am I remembering right that there's only four (4) of the E-4B Nightwatch A/C?

Last Edited by Chay-Ophan on 06/12/2020 11:33 PM

Yeah, there are like twelve E6-B's


Those are like the every day doomsday planes.

You see them almost every day. one to six of them, sometimes in what looks like shifts of three planes each.





The Nightwatch is up much less frequently.

I forget how many there are. Four might be right.


I think I've even seen all four airborne at one time, but no boom boom.


So, it doesn't tell you something WILL happen, only that it could.


Look at what else is going on a the time.


There is a lot of tension right now: with China, with Russia and with NK.



Things are relatively calm re. Iran and Venezuela for whatever reason.

Gotcha, thanks.

Since you seem knowledgeable on such matters, one last question that's always kinda itched in the back of my brain:

It seems common to have multiple refuelers over CONUS at any one time. I've personally seen more than six (6) airborne for sustained periods.

This makes sense when there's also numerous flights of varying types, missions, etc. airborne that may be in need of fuel. But why would three (3) or more tankers be airborne late at night when the skies over CONUS are virtually empty?

Because the sky is not necessarily "empty"?


Could be planes up there without ADS-B broadcasting.



One interesting thing: there used to be a lot of private contractors doing refueling for the military I think and I no longer see them.


Maybe the problems with the Boeing tankers?





Refueling in-flight is a real art form. They do train heavily all the time for that, I think.

Yep, was wondering if untracked A/C could be inferred. Thanks much!

I welcome everyone's contributions.

Thanks.

Any idea why the Italian and French Air Force are both crossing CONUS westbound as we speak?

French Air Force A310 looks to be descending for a landing in SOCAL whereas the Italian Air Force 767 just took off from Joint Base Andrews.

Oh yeah, and add to those the now-common Looking Glass/Nightwatch combo.

IAF could be related to events taking place in Libya.


Officials could be coordinating with the US to determine a course of action.


Not sure about the French plane in SoCal.

Lakota

Philadelphia

B06


Pensacola

E6

Off NORCAL coast

Lakota

Davenport, IA

H60

Long Island



Unkn Type Mil Heli

Salem, OR

DASH 8 doing a possible search pattern SW of D.C.

H60

Jackson, MI