EX ARCTIC CHALLENGE/BALTOPS/SABRE STRIKE/AMPLE STRIKE 17

[MRTT]

Was a response like that really needed?

[Dan213]

Are bombers due at fairford at all soon?

Suggest you read the thread, then delete your post.

Seems like a pretty legitimate question to me. Perhaps you should have a read up on common courtesy, then delete your post.

[Rory76]

Are bombers due at fairford at all soon?

Good chance (pretty much 100%) of at least B-52s deploying on exercise in the next couple of weeks. Possibly more than that, but that's just guess work.

[Pune]

Are bombers due at fairford at all soon?

Suggest you read the thread, then delete your post.

Seems like a pretty legitimate question to me. Perhaps you should have a read up on common courtesy, then delete your post.

I completely agree, no need at all for such a nasty response.

[johnwayne]

Are bombers due at fairford at all soon?

Suggest you read the thread, then delete your post.

Whilst agreeing with various comments that this post was unnecessarily blunt to the point of being impolite , I do however think the responder has a point i.e. if you join in on a topic that's already running ' particularly with a question , its not unreasonable to expect a new poster to read through the topic first . Seem to recall mods making similar requests over the years .

[Pune]

Are bombers due at fairford at all soon?

Suggest you read the thread, then delete your post.

Whilst agreeing with various comments that this post was unnecessarily blunt to the point of being impolite , I do however think the responder has a point i.e. if you join in on a topic that's already running ' particularly with a question , its not unreasonable to expect a new poster to read through the topic first . Seem to recall mods making similar requests over the years .

You are quite right johnwayne, there are ways of saying things in a more polite way, I agree this has been mentioned previously, but maybe this was a new member unsure of protocol.
Hopefully no harm done...

[harvo266]

Just to clear things up;
I have been aware for a few weeks about the upcoming exercise but have found news and updates to be much quieter than usual and when I read back through the forum, I could not see any signs of dates or rough days of when they may arrive at FFD. Admittedly I should have crafted the question better.

[StormsInAfrica]

Only thing we kinda know is that 3x BUFFs could arrive soon. Support flights rumoured to be this Wednesday. There are rumours that other platforms may show up but these are only rumours at the minute.

[graham luxton]

I suspect that this sort of thing is simulating a crisis situation where wing personnel are mobilised for deployment but the bombers and the crews that will fly them over, are placed on several hours notice to deploy, awaiting word as to when that will actually be. There are normally more aircrews than bombers so some will arrive/depart on the transports.

This scenario reminds me of a scene in the superb 1955 movie `Strategic Air Command` where a briefing officer is addressing a room full of B-47 crews about to make a wing deployment to Japan - ",,,, a word of caution, there's a security blackout, lets do it first then talk about it."

In the days when SAC used to routinely carry out these overseas deployments they referred to the departure date as "E Day".

This unknown factor, as to when the a/c will actually arrive, may explain the lack of information from the base.

[page_verify]

Too much political approval is required these days for anything to be truely random. I'd bet some have known for a few months how many aircraft, what type, when, and how many people are coming.....

[graham luxton]

Too much political approval is required these days for anything to be truely random. I'd bet some have known for a few months how many aircraft, what type, when, and how many people are coming.....

Yes, but at a high level where specifics are less likely to be leaked. Past events have shown that whatever happens its with the knowledge/approval of the MOD. Long gone are the days when the USAF did their own thing!

[johnwayne]

I recall an Arctic Challenge press release (can't locate it now) stating B52 mission at end of 2nd week - i.e. 1/2 June. If this was a Global Power mission recovering to Fairford it would I believe fit timing of previous bomber arrivals at Fairford for Baltops/Saber Strike i.e. end of week before those exercises begin. That would suggest support early next week .I stress this is my guesswork/speculation so will probably turn out to be wrong !

[StormsInAfrica]

Tracking an Omni CAMBER flight that routed DFW, Rapid City; Rapid City to what appears to be Barksdale AFB.

[MRTT]

Could well be something to do with an upcoming deployment.

[StormsInAfrica]

Agreed; think this is our pax flight for the deployment. Interesting it went via an airport next to Ellsworth. Didn't think we were getting Lancers until August.

[page_verify]

Had there been any confirmation of what types to expect? (If this is the exercise with the 900 visitors, then personally I'd expect more than just two types but there again who knows.....?)

[StormsInAfrica]

That's the same one Cornish. She's been a busy bee today!

[backtrack26]

Agreed; think this is our pax flight for the deployment. Interesting it went via an airport next to Ellsworth. Didn't think we were getting Lancers until August.

It went to Ellsworth, that is according to Flightaware : 23may flew KDFW (Dallas FW) - KRCA. Then it routed via Barksdale (KBAD). Going transatlantic now.

[DC7C59]

So why was it shown on Planefinder and FlightRadar SE of Newfoundland at about 02:30Z?

[backtrack26]

So why was it shown on Planefinder and FlightRadar SE of Newfoundland at about 02:30Z?

The current status at Flightaware, has no updated track : the position is "last seen at 0311utc" and then it shows a position east of St Johns. Sorry, did not notice it was "old" info.
If this was wat 0311UTC it must be way over mid atlantic now.
Thanks for your remark