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Are you familiar with how MLAT works? I have a dataviz/infographic/GIS visualisation challenge that I'm coming to the realization I do not have the skills to adequately convey in a graphic, and am looking for some help.
Basically, I'd like to show what Syria (say) would look like with a robust MLAT-gathering network of Mode-S receivers in an isometric 3D representation, showing overlapping coverage cones, and the density of receivers needed for border or nationwide MLAT, if that makes any sense.
I picked Syria because the coverage in that area of the world isn't robust and we miss a lot of the aircraft coming in and out of the country, as well as neighbouring Iraq and Turkey.
๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF CC-177 Globemaster III (4/5, 80% โ
)
โฃ 177703 flew the 3rd shipment of armoured vehicles to #Haiti ๐ญ๐น
โฃ 177703 flew supplies from #14WingGreenwood to Sicily ๐ฎ๐น for the pair of CP-140 Auroras deployed to Ex #DynamicManta.
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#8WingTrenton #429Sqn
โฃ 177703 flew the 3rd shipment of armoured vehicles to #Haiti ๐ญ๐น
โฃ 177703 flew supplies from #14WingGreenwood to Sicily ๐ฎ๐น for the pair of CP-140 Auroras deployed to Ex #DynamicManta.
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#8WingTrenton #429Sqn
๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF CC-150 Polaris (4/5, 80% โ
)
โฃ 15001 is in #Hawaii for ๐คทโโ๏ธ as call sign #CFC3120, via San Diego from Trenton.
โฃ 15004 is in New Orleans for ๐คทโโ๏ธ as call sign #CFC3133 from Trenton.
โฃ 15002 is still at Mirabel.
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#437Sqn #8WingTrenton
โฃ 15001 is in #Hawaii for ๐คทโโ๏ธ as call sign #CFC3120, via San Diego from Trenton.
โฃ 15004 is in New Orleans for ๐คทโโ๏ธ as call sign #CFC3133 from Trenton.
โฃ 15002 is still at Mirabel.
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#437Sqn #8WingTrenton
๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF CC-144C/D Challenger (3/4, 75% โ
)
โฃ The aircraft of 412 Transport Squadron are normally extremely busy, so a 3+ week break sticks out. 144618 must be working through some stuff.
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#412Sqn #8WingTrenton
โฃ The aircraft of 412 Transport Squadron are normally extremely busy, so a 3+ week break sticks out. 144618 must be working through some stuff.
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#412Sqn #8WingTrenton
Before I explain to the #AusAirForce ๐ฆ๐บ comms ppl, please appreciate that their P-8A Poseidon fleet broadcasts its own location to anyone who will listen, using ADS-B. That signal will geolocate them from orbit. On patrol, their locations are the least secret thing over the SCS.
This tweet, that has all the words in it you'd need to find it, gives you the tail numbers and ICAO Mode-S hexes of the whole #AusAirForce ๐ฆ๐บ P-8A Poseidon fleet. You can follow them pretty much any day with the link that's included in the quoted tweet.
On 2023-02-09 #AusAirForce ๐ฆ๐บ P-8A Poseidon A47-011 arrived at #KadenaAB ๐บ๐ธ on #Okinawa ๐ฏ๐ตas call sign #ASY150.
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#7CF9D5
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#7CF9D5
Gripe:
The CAF display poor situational awareness re public visibility of ๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF aircraft.
Examples:
- #14WingGreenwood deployments to Keflavik
- #19WingComox #OpCARIBBE Jan/Feb 2023
- #CANSOFCOM ISR over #Ottawa Jan 27/28 2022
- Withdrawal x2 CC-130J from #OpIMPACT Aug 2022
The CAF display poor situational awareness re public visibility of ๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF aircraft.
Examples:
- #14WingGreenwood deployments to Keflavik
- #19WingComox #OpCARIBBE Jan/Feb 2023
- #CANSOFCOM ISR over #Ottawa Jan 27/28 2022
- Withdrawal x2 CC-130J from #OpIMPACT Aug 2022
What about #14WingGreenwood deployments to Keflavik?
It's only a matter of time before the CP-140 Aurora deployments to Keflavik, that coincide with Russian Navy movements through the GIUK gap, get traction in the press.
They pretend it's not happening. We see them. ๐คฆโโ๏ธ
It's only a matter of time before the CP-140 Aurora deployments to Keflavik, that coincide with Russian Navy movements through the GIUK gap, get traction in the press.
They pretend it's not happening. We see them. ๐คฆโโ๏ธ
What about the #19WingComox #OpCARIBBE Jan/Feb 2023 operation?
They pretended the press couldn't see it happening and wouldn't talk about it like it was some secret operation. Au contraire, it was so visible I live-tweeted it.
They pretended the press couldn't see it happening and wouldn't talk about it like it was some secret operation. Au contraire, it was so visible I live-tweeted it.
๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF CC-177 Globemaster III (4/5, 80% โ
)
โฃ 177701 flew from Trenton to Ottawa to Whitehorse on 2023-02-12 presumably related to the ๐
โฃ 177704 seems to be out of comission at #CFBTrenton, it hasn't flown in over a month.
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#8WingTrenton #429Sqn
โฃ 177701 flew from Trenton to Ottawa to Whitehorse on 2023-02-12 presumably related to the ๐
โฃ 177704 seems to be out of comission at #CFBTrenton, it hasn't flown in over a month.
globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=c2b3ff,cโฆ
#8WingTrenton #429Sqn
๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF CC-150 Polaris (4/5, 80% โ
)
โฃ 15002 is still going through some stuff at Mirabel, possibly out of commission for months.
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#437Sqn #8WingTrenton
โฃ 15002 is still going through some stuff at Mirabel, possibly out of commission for months.
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#437Sqn #8WingTrenton
๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF CC-144C/D Challenger (4/4, 100% โ
)
โฃ 144618 may be out for maintenance. They haven't flown in just ten days, but the pace of the rest is frantic.
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#412Sqn #8WingTrenton
โฃ 144618 may be out for maintenance. They haven't flown in just ten days, but the pace of the rest is frantic.
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#412Sqn #8WingTrenton
Let me understand this really well, ๐บ๐ธ๐จ๐ฆ #NORAD QRA fighters didn't shoot down the ๐จ๐ณ Chinese spy balloon in American, then Canadian, then American airspace? ๐
YOU HAD ONE JOB.
๐คฆโโ๏ธ
YOU HAD ONE JOB.
๐คฆโโ๏ธ
They flew right through the #ADIZ that the media get their bloomers in a bunch about when the Russians fly antiques through, and VIOLATED American and Canadian airspace, which the Russians never do, and the Chinese continue to do; did I get that right? What a bunch of bullsh!t.
I suspect the #USAF are flying their own spy drones over China on the regular, without the public's knowledge, in full view of the Chinese military, and they're terrified the Chinese will start shooting them out of the sky if they shoot down the balloon.
"The operation involved (...) supporting and operating four F-35s, three CF-18s, four KC-135s, one CC-150, one E-3, and one CH-149."
Okay, let's add them up. ๐งต
Okay, let's add them up. ๐งต
๐บ๐ธ #USAF E-3 Sentry 83-0009 #AE11F2 #CACHE50
Flights identified using #ADSBexchange
2023-01-18
2023-01-19
dvidshub.net/image/7608860/โฆ
Flights identified using #ADSBexchange
2023-01-18
2023-01-19
dvidshub.net/image/7608860/โฆ
๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF CC-149 Cormorant 149902 #C2B107 deployed from #14WingGreenwood on 2023-01-11, headed to to Iqaluit, in preparation for #NORAD Operation #NobleDefender.
The operation was from the 15th to the 31st, true, but preparations started before that.
The operation was from the 15th to the 31st, true, but preparations started before that.
While this article is 5 years old, and likely out of date regarding the operations that are being carried out from Keflavik ๐ฎ๐ธ, it makes it clear to me that the "rotational" deployments of large numbers of #USNavy P-8A Poseidon and #RCAF CP-140 Aurora aircraft are a #NATO mission
๐จ๐ฆ Where is the #RCAF today?
๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF CC-177 Globemaster III (4/5, 80% โ
)
โฃ 177701 just got back from Haiti
โฃ 177702 is somewhere on the other side of the planet
โฃ 177703 is still in San Antonio ๐บ๐ธ (since August ๐งโ๐ง)
โฃ 177705 arrived in Bagotville yesterday
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#8WingTrenton #429Sqn
โฃ 177701 just got back from Haiti
โฃ 177702 is somewhere on the other side of the planet
โฃ 177703 is still in San Antonio ๐บ๐ธ (since August ๐งโ๐ง)
โฃ 177705 arrived in Bagotville yesterday
globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=c2b3ff,cโฆ
#8WingTrenton #429Sqn
Whoops.
๐จ๐ฆโ๏ธ Can we figure out which aircraft brought the #CANSOFCOM members back from Niger who were deployed on #OpNABERIUS ๐ณ๐ฌ?
If the person in charge was trying to be nice they would have sent something comfortable, like a CC-150 Polaris... did they? Let's look.
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I checked back to 2022-11-01, and of course not; these are the elite Canadian ninjas of CANSOFCOM, they don't need to be comfortable.
Let's see if they stuffed them on the back of a CC-177 Globemaster III with their gear.
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Let's see if they stuffed them on the back of a CC-177 Globemaster III with their gear.
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๐จ๐ฆ It's hard to find more than one matching flight path near Tillsonburg (my back still aches when I hear that word) recently.
Maybe this is #RCAF CC-130H 130344 call sign #TIGR344 on 2022-12-05?
Not sure if @JRCCTrentCCCOS will confirm. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
inaccurate.adsbexchange.com/?icao=c2afbd&lโฆ
#C2AFBD
Maybe this is #RCAF CC-130H 130344 call sign #TIGR344 on 2022-12-05?
Not sure if @JRCCTrentCCCOS will confirm. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
inaccurate.adsbexchange.com/?icao=c2afbd&lโฆ
#C2AFBD
Here's your dose of Canadian content:
Stompin' Tom Connors - Tillsonburg
Stompin' Tom Connors - Tillsonburg
I think I need to look at the flight data again; this was from 2022-11-30
1/10 PM @JustinTrudeau & #NATO @jensstoltenberg just visited #Canadaโs biggest fighter jet base, CFB Cold Lake, in #Alberta. Canadians should know that the land for this @RCAF_ARC base & air weapons range was stolen from First Nations 70 years ago. bit.ly/3CxYLCb ๐งตโฌ๏ธ
2/From 1952-1960 Liberal govt gave minimal compensation to Dene & Cree peoples for taking land then stopped all payments. Loss of land had devastating consequences: poverty, despair & trauma. They lost traditional hunting grounds & sacred sites that were under Treaties 6, 8 & 10.
3/For 7 decades, all year long, Canadaโs #fighterjets conduct loud, low-level flights over reserves & they bomb, strafe and torpedo #ColdLake Air Weapons Range, it's boreal #forest habitat for endangered #caribou. Land contaminated w/ munitions & toxins from military. @IENearth
I've been tracking aircraft by exploiting their transponder emissions for years, and I still see new things every day. I'm only one of many of people who exploit open sources to tease out untold stories; some people moonlight, and for some it's their day job.
Everyone has their own unique interest. My desire is to show the public, and especially journalists, where the seam between publicly available information and the unknown exists. I have the impression most people don't know how much is at their fingertips in 2022.
The sort of analysis that would previously only be accessible to the intelligence community can be assembled by ordinary citizens with no military-specific training, just access to the right tools (Google Docs, Earth), and publicly available data.
๐ฆ๐บ Assessment of Royal Australian Air Force aircraft readiness (some of them anyway), extrapolating from their Mode-S transponder RF emissions, compiled 2022-07-03.
Aircraft that haven't flown in over a month are believed to be (temporarily?) out of service. #RAAF
Aircraft that haven't flown in over a month are believed to be (temporarily?) out of service. #RAAF
๐จ๐ฆ I'm using the same methodology as the #RCAF assessments I've published.
In comparison, please notice it's completely normal to have some (small) number of aircraft out of the pool for maintenance, almost all the time, for almost all aircraft.
In comparison, please notice it's completely normal to have some (small) number of aircraft out of the pool for maintenance, almost all the time, for almost all aircraft.
Some of the identified aircraft haven't yet been delivered to the RAAF, so they're not actually *out* of service, they haven't yet come *into* service - I didn't want to make a new category, so I just recycled "out of service". Apologies for any confusion.
๐จ๐ฆ Latest assessment of CH-149 Cormorant distribution and readiness based on their Mode-S transponder emissions.
Summary:
โฃ 3 at #CFBGreenwood
โฃ 2 at #CFBGander
โฃ 3 at #CFBComox
Meaning, 43% of the #RCAF CH-149 Cormorant helicopters are up on blocks.
#103Sqn #413Sqn #442Sqn
Summary:
โฃ 3 at #CFBGreenwood
โฃ 2 at #CFBGander
โฃ 3 at #CFBComox
Meaning, 43% of the #RCAF CH-149 Cormorant helicopters are up on blocks.
#103Sqn #413Sqn #442Sqn
43% laid up and out of commission?
Is that bad?
It's not good.
Thankfully the Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade is underway, scheduled to be completely finished by 2028, but they haven't awarded the contract yet...
Is that bad?
It's not good.
Thankfully the Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade is underway, scheduled to be completely finished by 2028, but they haven't awarded the contract yet...
I thought it was Leonardo that couldn't follow basic instructions and misconfigured almost all their transponders in the #RCAF CH-149 Cormorant fleet, but that's none of my business, I could be wrong, and I haven't seen that investigation the RCAF promised either. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
๐จ๐ฆ In June the #RCAF participated in a Search and Rescue exercise based out of Lajes, in The Azores, and for some reason didn't think the Canadian public wanted to know, so they didn't tell anyone anything.
It might have been part of #ASAREX #ASAREX22 #ASAREX2022, I can't tell.
It might have been part of #ASAREX #ASAREX22 #ASAREX2022, I can't tell.
[ โ ๏ธ I INCLUDED IMPRECISE DATA ON PURPOSE ]
I'm unclear when the exercise started or ended, but their call sign suggests they began to prepare in early June
#CFC2127
2022-06-06 Between Greenwood/Summerside
2022-06-15 Over the Bay of Fundy
2022-06-18 To Lajes
2022-06-19 To Lajes
I'm unclear when the exercise started or ended, but their call sign suggests they began to prepare in early June
#CFC2127
2022-06-06 Between Greenwood/Summerside
2022-06-15 Over the Bay of Fundy
2022-06-18 To Lajes
2022-06-19 To Lajes
๐จ๐ฆ It should be pretty easy to prove the American-registered ISR aircraft conducting surveillance over Ottawa in late January and early February was not related to the convoy. A course plan? Any documentation re: booking the training?
(Skip ahead to 35:03)
(Skip ahead to 35:03)
A timeline of the "trucker" occupation of Ottawa from CTV ๐
ctvnews.ca/canada/freedomโฆ
ctvnews.ca/canada/freedomโฆ
2022-01-25
#N330TT appears out of nowhere over Metcalf at 3000ft, lands at #YOW; it made it that far without being detected by open source flight trackers. That's suspicious; private aircraft can't do that.
We know now it's a spook plane, not just private.
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#N330TT appears out of nowhere over Metcalf at 3000ft, lands at #YOW; it made it that far without being detected by open source flight trackers. That's suspicious; private aircraft can't do that.
We know now it's a spook plane, not just private.
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๐จ๐ฆ The Royal Canadian Air Force participated in #ExREDFLAG 22-1 at #EielsonAFB, Alaska at the end of April. Did we see that when it happened?
The pictures weren't posted until today because OPSEC? ๐ค
I don't recall the #RCAF mentioning it at all; do you?
dvidshub.net/image/7172031/โฆ
The pictures weren't posted until today because OPSEC? ๐ค
I don't recall the #RCAF mentioning it at all; do you?
dvidshub.net/image/7172031/โฆ
#401Sqn flies out of #4WingColdLake, we should see a refueller between the Alaska and Cold Lake around there. Possibly additional logistics flights for support staff.
FYI, I often do these threads without looking up if I can find something so you can see how the sausage is made.
FYI, I often do these threads without looking up if I can find something so you can see how the sausage is made.
If I start looking for where RCAF tankers were on 2022-04-01, we see the return flight by #4WingColdLake fighters from California, where they spend most of the winter because Cold Lake is.. well.. it's Cold, yo!
Notice they're using AR-4B to refuel on 2022-04-02.
#CFC3329
Notice they're using AR-4B to refuel on 2022-04-02.
#CFC3329
๐จ๐ฆ When #RCAF #14WingGreenwood personnel misconfigure their plane's transponder with a placeholder to fill in a blank (12345677), it suggests they can't be bothered to look up the right value. If so, what else are they skipping, and how does that affect the aircraft's safety?
On 2022-04-27 the same #RCAF CC-130H aircraft, now correctly configured, flew again, showing personnel at #14WingGreenwood can configure a CC-130H Mode-S transponder properly, eventually.
How many days will it be before the same mistake is made again?
#C2AFB3 โ #29CBBF
#TSKR343
How many days will it be before the same mistake is made again?
#C2AFB3 โ #29CBBF
#TSKR343
Last time it was about three weeks before someone was struck with amnesia.
๐จ๐ฆ Tonight? Why wait? You get the latest now
Corroborating the report by @alexboutilier @MercedesGlobal @davidbaxter_ , of @globalnews open source flight data confirms the #RCAF flight flew into Kyiv (not Lviv) direct from Valcartier; callsign #CFC4186.
Corroborating the report by @alexboutilier @MercedesGlobal @davidbaxter_ , of @globalnews open source flight data confirms the #RCAF flight flew into Kyiv (not Lviv) direct from Valcartier; callsign #CFC4186.
For the record, it was #RCAF CC-150 15003, which departed on 2022-01-08 (UTC) and returned to #8WingTrenton on 2022-01-11.
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๐บ๐ฒโข๏ธ Nuclear-capable #USAF F-15E Strike Eagles, from Seymour Johnson AFB, NC ๐บ๐ฒ have been forward-deployed to Romania ๐ท๐ด.
The Legacy of the 335th Fighter Squadron shows they've been involved in expeditionary ground-attack rolls for decades, not so much combat air patrols. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
The Legacy of the 335th Fighter Squadron shows they've been involved in expeditionary ground-attack rolls for decades, not so much combat air patrols. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
Don't just take MY word for it. ๐
"...the mission of the 335th Fighter Squadron is to be prepared to deploy anywhere in the world on short notice and deliver an array of air-to-ground weapons with pinpoint accuracy."
Source: The United States Air Force
seymourjohnson.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-โฆ
"...the mission of the 335th Fighter Squadron is to be prepared to deploy anywhere in the world on short notice and deliver an array of air-to-ground weapons with pinpoint accuracy."
Source: The United States Air Force
seymourjohnson.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-โฆ
I'm not sure how many of the #USAF 335th's 24 F-15E Strike Eagles were forward-deployed to #Romania.
"The squadron is currently authorized 24 F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft and approximately 360 officer and enlisted personnel."
Source ๐
seymourjohnson.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-โฆ
"The squadron is currently authorized 24 F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft and approximately 360 officer and enlisted personnel."
Source ๐
seymourjohnson.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-โฆ
๐จ๐ฆ Why don't we make a list of the locations and planes so people can click a map and see where the plane or helicopter is they're looking to spot? We can do that. #CanadaRemembers 1/n
2/n This will also shows the @RCAF_ARC that the public can benefit from the #RCAF using Mode-S and ADS-B in Canadian domestic airspace, even if the rest of the country's antiquated infrastructure doesn't *need* it, we can use it, and they can do it, right now.
Nova Scotia
Bridgewater CP-140
Chelsea CP-140
Cole Harbour CH-148
Dartmouth CH-148
Eastern Passage CH-148
Lunenburg CH-148
Mahone Bay CP-140
New Germany CP-140
Parkdale CP-140
New Brunswick
McAdam CH-146
Ontario
Arnprior CH-147F
Ottawa CF-188
Toronto CC-130J
Whitby CC-130J
Bridgewater CP-140
Chelsea CP-140
Cole Harbour CH-148
Dartmouth CH-148
Eastern Passage CH-148
Lunenburg CH-148
Mahone Bay CP-140
New Germany CP-140
Parkdale CP-140
New Brunswick
McAdam CH-146
Ontario
Arnprior CH-147F
Ottawa CF-188
Toronto CC-130J
Whitby CC-130J
Kick back, this is an OSINT treat: ๐ฟ
๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF CC-144D Challenger 144620 (one of the new ones) departed #Ottawa #CYOW on 2021-09-26 with callsign #CFC3080, very likely carrying General Wayne Eyre, the acting Chief of the Defence Staff.
globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=c2c1fb&lโฆ
#C2C1FB #CDS
๐จ๐ฆ #RCAF CC-144D Challenger 144620 (one of the new ones) departed #Ottawa #CYOW on 2021-09-26 with callsign #CFC3080, very likely carrying General Wayne Eyre, the acting Chief of the Defence Staff.
globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=c2c1fb&lโฆ
#C2C1FB #CDS
After a brief stop in Prestwick ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ, they flew to Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Constanta ๐ท๐ด, and used the same callsign the whole trip.
๐จ๐ฆ The #RCAF #14WingGreenwood newsletter "The Aurora" is really well done; newsletters feel pre-digital to me, but I'm not anti-newsletter. I can't help but read these articles about #413SQN #SAR and know they'd make fantastic Twitter content.
auroranewspaper.com
auroranewspaper.com
If #14WingGreenwood was interested in publicising the tempo of their SAR operations w/ @hfxjrcc they could investigate transmitting ADS-B from their CH-149, CC-130H, and other aircraft. Mode-S alone doesn't transmit lat/lon, and reduces public visibility of their operations.
Yes, I'd love them to start using ADS-B with the CP-140M Block 4 fleet too, but I don't think they're going to improve the visibility of our sub-hunters, which are extremely busy on ops and exercises, and hardly ever mentioned in the news.
