Classic British Flight Sim

Is it just me or am I really seeing much more military activity these days over the skies of the UK and the North Atlantic? Living where I do, in normal times there is a fairly constant stream of high altitude commercial airliners on their way to and from the USA and Canada. Since lockdown that traffic has all but dried up apart from freighters. However there has been an apparent increase in large military transports and tankers both from the USAF and also some from the RAF. Maybe it has always been thus and I have missed it due to the number of commercial transports going over. Any ideas folks?

Andy

Hi Andy. Yes I’ve also noticed the activity increase. RAF and USAF tankers in the North Sea as well as transports C130s C17s and A400s as well as Typhoons. Also seems extra traffic to and from Ramstein and Zweibruchen.
Interesting to note the age of some of the US Stratotankers, over 60 years in some cases. Also appearances of the Poseidon occasionally. EricT
ps have you noticed the AWACS or whatever it’s now called flying perfect circles over NE England?

I expect the Russians would have noticed too........................

There’s been loads in the evenings. Apaches have been up in the evenings in the east. Both RAF and USAF Hercs often below 1000ft up the east coast to the Moray firth, and all of the USAF tankers. Rivet joints, lots of night activity from the little King Airs with the sensor packs (can’t remember their service name) and AWACS too.

I haven't seen any AWACS aircraft up here but plenty of USAF tankers and large transports and the odd A400M and C17 of the RAF. All of these have been en route at high altitude obviously crossing the Atlantic. I have also noticed a lot of RAF activity over the North Sea with A330s which I guess were out there to refuel other aircraft.

When I first moved up here I used to see a lot of Tornados coming up the loch in front of my house at very low level on a weekly basis, most impressive even though their sudden appearance could give you quite a shock! That all finished a few years ago and the only military activity seen these days was a stray Typhoon last year and a very low pass up the loch by a Herc. Everything now is too damn high to be any fun

Andy

The USAF are up at the minute in a KC135 over the North Sea practice proding area... must be bad when they’re training at the weekend.

Totally agree. This week I've lost count of the tell-tale racetrack contrails of the tankers and the circular trails of the AWACS in the skies here over northeast England. Planefinder has been showing a lot of activity too.

For some reason I have missed this thread but can put some light onto the increased activity, RAF Coningsby and Waddington aircraft have been involved in Exercise Point Blank for the past 2 weeks which was conducted by the RAF and USAF based in the UK. US Aircraft are also involved from bases in European countries as well as Royal Netherlands Air Force.

More here: https://www.airforce-technology.com/new ... int-blank/

Regards
Nigel.

Interesting that, Nigel : the other day a Belgian AF A400M did Brussels, Prestwick ILSs, Newquay low approaches and go-arounds, and back to Brussels. Yesterday RAF A400 M Brize to Bergen, then Bergen to Reykyavik, night stop , and home this morning . It is amazing where the A400s turn up - recently I have "seen" them at Dakar , Sao Paulo ( IIRC) and Dacca , and I'd love to know what they do at these places

Thanks for the info, Nigel.

Brian