Military Monitoring World

Covering all aspects of the military aviation & radio hobby scene. News, equipment, field trips and all things radio & virtual radar related #AvGeek #RadioGeek

[Military Monitoring World @MilMonWorld]

The SIX unmarked and unidentified USAF MC-130s currently parked up at #PrestwickAirport in Scotland are expected to depart at some stage today. Destination unknown at this time 👀 #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

[Military Monitoring World @MilMonWorld]

Impressive scenes at #PrestwickAirport with SIX USAF C-130s parked on the apron. Also another C-130 parked on the secondary runway 👀 #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

[Military Monitoring World @MilMonWorld]

With increased aircraft movements and the US President and key Cabinet members arriving unexpectedly at the White House, military radio monitors and the #OSINT community are keeping a close eye on what comes next 👀 #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

[Military Monitoring World @MilMonWorld]

Impressive scenes at #PrestwickAirport with SIX USAF C-130s parked on the apron. Also another C-130 parked on the secondary runway 👀 #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

[Military Monitoring World @MilMonWorld]

RAF A330-MRTT Voyager ZZ330 using callsign RRR861 departing #PrestwickAirport - soon to be a regular sight as the entire RAF tanker fleet relocates to Ayrshire from Brize Norton in the coming months to accommodate runway resurfacing #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

[Military Monitoring World @MilMonWorld]

#NewHeaderPhoto

[Military Monitoring World @MilMonWorld]

The arrival of US bombers at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire continues with a total of 11 B-1B Lancers and now SIX B-52s marking what is likely to be the largest bomber deployment of its kind to the base #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

[Planes Out The Window ✈️ @window_planes]

1 of 2 B-52s that have landed at RAF Fairford this morning heading to its parking spot

3rd arrival still expected this morning bringing the total to 6 on base

[DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 @DefenceGeek]

RAF Fairford - USAF Bombers ORBAT (13/03/2026 UPDATE) #FreeIran‌
--- Operation EPIC FURY ---

RAF Fairford now has the following US Air Force bomber aircraft available for #OperationEpicFury, following the arrival of 3 additional B-52H "Stratofortress" aircraft this morning:

B-1B 85-0064 #AE6BD3 (DY) "Eliminator"
B-1B 85-0088 #AE6BE1 (DY) (No nickname identified)
B-1B 86-0107 #AE6BEF (WA) "Dragon Slayer"
B-1B 86-0140 #AE6C0B (DY) "Last Lance"
B-1B 86-0120 #AE6BFA (EL) "Whiskey Pete"
B-1B 86-0121 #AE6BFB (EL) "Symphony of Destruction"
B-1B 86-0139 #AE6C0A (EL) "Drifter"
B-1B 86-0108 #AE6BF0 (EL) "Aliens with Attitude"
B-1B 86-0138 #AE6C09 (EL) "Seek and Destroy"
B-1B 85-0072 #AE6BD6 (EL) "Polarized"
B-1B 86-0102 #AE6BEB (EL) "Bad Moon Rising"
B-52H 60-0023 #AE587C (MT) "Bomber Barons"
B-52H 60-0060 #AE5895 (MT) "Iron Butterfly"
B-52H 60-0007 #AE5871 (MT) "Guardians of the Upper Realm"
B-52H 61-0001 #AE5898 (MT) (No nickname)
B-52H 61-0035 #AE58AF (MT) (No nickname)
B-52H 60-0012 #AE5875 (MT) "Heavy Hauler"

TOTAL: 17 bombers (11x B-1B "Lancer", 6x B-52H "Stratofortress")

Photo via @UKDefJournal
@MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @Andyyyyrrr @jamjake01 @TheIntelFrog @MilMonWorld @vcdgf555 @Osinttechnical @FaytuksNetwork @Faytuks

[The Aviationist @TheAviationist]

Updated: KC-135 Goes Down in Western Iraq After Mid-Air Incident During Operation Epic Fury

The KC-135 was reportedly lost after an incident involving another aircraft in friendly airspace; the second aircraft landed safely.

Story: https://t.co/IUReCLL8NO

[BBC Breaking News @BBCBreaking]

Four crew members confirmed dead after US refuelling aircraft crashed in Iraq, US military says
https://t.co/2A4lxTm3AF

[Sky News @SkyNews]

BREAKING: Four of six crew members killed in crash of refuelling plane in Iraq, U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, confirmed.

https://t.co/LZddxQGexk

📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube

[UK Defence Journal @UKDefJournal]

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft has been lost over Iraq during ongoing military operations in the region, according to U.S. Central Command. Click image for more.
https://t.co/W3azg8ue0r

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

NEW: The UK is considering possible options to help defend shipping in the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks, the defence secretary has said. 
John Healey also signalled that British forces needed to be ready in coordination with allies to evacuate UK nationals from the Middle East if the US and Israeli war with Iran worsens. 
He said he had spoken on Wednesday with his counterparts in the so-called E5 group of European powers, which  include Germany, France, Italy and Poland, to discuss the crisis. 
On the threat to oil tankers in the Gulf, the senior cabinet minister said the best way to unblock the vital waterway would be an end to the war between the US, Israel and Iran. 
However, as conflict rages and with tankers ablaze, he said he has asked his military planners to look at what the UK could offer alongside other nations to protect commercial tankers needing to pass through the Strait from attacks by Iranian drones, mines and missiles. 
This could include autonomous vessels that can counter mines. In addition, the British military has personnel based at a headquarters in Bahrain with expertise is commanding maritime security operations. 
The UK is already sending HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, with significant air defence capabilities, to bolster its defences in the region. This ship could also potentially be an option if there is a move to protect shipping. 
“Recognising the huge impact this potentially has on oil prices and the cost of living there is an international imperative to try and see this resolved,” Mr Healey said, referring to the disruption to the flow of tankers carrying oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz. 
“I have - pre-positioned in the region - some autonomous mine hunting systems,” the defence secretary told reporters, speaking after meeting with commanders at the Permanent Joint Headquarters, PJHQ, in Northwood, in northwest London, which is the main headquarters overseeing British military operations around the world. 
“I have been talking to planners today about additional options we can bring to bear alongside allies should it be needed.”
However he stressed that this work was “early days”. 
“You should not read into that that we have got some hard options poised to go. But… I am discussing additional options with our planners.”
Mr Healey said he had spoken with E5 defence ministers about greater coordination in the Eastern Mediterranean. 
He signalled this could also mean in any future evacuation efforts. 
“If this conflict worsens, we have to be ready should evacuations be required,” he told commanders. 
The UK has placed RFA Lyme Bay, a  vast support ship, on heightened readiness to deploy, in a sign of the kind of assets being readied. 
However the options to assist in defending shipping through the Strait of Hormuz or conducting evacuations are more limited than they have been in the past following defence cuts. 
A decade ago, the Royal Navy had at least one major warship operating out of Bahrain and to four minehunters - each one a large, crewed ship - as well as a huge support vessel. Today there are no warships based out of Bahrain with the last crewed minehunter, HMS Middleton, was sent back to the UK for maintenance. 
It means the UK could only contribute to an effort to protect shipping in the Gulf alongside allies like the United States and France.

[DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 @DefenceGeek]

UPDATE: We have new airframes incoming to RAF Fairford to join the bomber fleet there... 👀

[Flightradar24 @flightradar24]

U.S. Central Command is reporting an incident involving two Stratotankers.

63-8017 took off from TLV at 11:31 UTC and returned at 18:35 UTC, squawking 7700.
https://t.co/w7yw18iNZH

62-3556 took off from TLV at 05:17 UTC and has not been tracked returning, indicating it may be the crashed aircraft.
https://t.co/ttvRFjzxOP

Latest updates: https://t.co/v66PeDFtjl

[TWZ @thewarzonewire]

KC-135 Tanker Crashes In Iraq During Operation Epic Fury Sortie

U.S. Central Command says two aircraft were involved in the incident and that a search and rescue effort is currently underway.

https://t.co/1qmqk1YFAe

[Military Monitoring World @MilMonWorld]

Absolutely incredible scenes at RAF Fairford which is now hosting 11x USAF B-1B Bombers and 3x B52 Bombers. The significance of this deployment to the UK which accounts for 25 per cent of the total B-1B Bomber fleet is nothing short of historic #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

[DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 @DefenceGeek]

RAF Fairford - USAF Bombers ORBAT (10/03/2026 UPDATE) #FreeIran‌
--- Operation EPIC FURY ---

RAF Fairford now has the following US Air Force bomber aircraft available for #OperationEpicFury, following the arrival of 3 additional B-1B "Lancer" aircraft this afternoon:

B-1B 85-0064 #AE6BD3 (DY) "Eliminator"
B-1B 85-0088 #AE6BE1 (DY) (No nickname identified)
B-1B 86-0107 #AE6BEF (WA) "Dragon Slayer"
B-1B 86-0140 #AE6C0B (DY) "Last Lance"
B-1B 86-0120 #AE6BFA (EL) "Whiskey Pete"
B-1B 86-0121 #AE6BFB (EL) "Symphony of Destruction"
B-1B 86-0139 #AE6C0A (EL) "Drifter"
B-1B 86-0108 #AE6BF0 (EL) "Aliens with Attitude"
B-52H 60-0023 #AE587C (MT) "Bomber Barons"
B-52H 60-0060 #AE5895 (MT) "Iron Butterfly"
B-52H 60-0007 #AE5871 (MT) "Guardians of the Upper Realm"
B-1B 86-0138 #AE6C09 (EL) "Seek and Destroy"
B-1B 85-0072 #AE6BD6 (EL) "Polarized"
B-1B 86-0102 #AE6BEB (EL) "Bad Moon Rising"

TOTAL: 14 bombers (11x B-1B "Lancer", 3x B-52H "Stratofortress")

Notably, the 11 B-1s represent around 25% of the current active Lancer bomber fleet!

Photo via Ellsworth AFB website
@MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @Andyyyyrrrr @jamjake01 @TheIntelFrog @MilMonWorld @vcdgf555 @Osinttechnical @FaytuksNetwork @Faytuks

[Military Monitoring World @MilMonWorld]

The mighty B-52s have now arrived at RAF Fairford #AvGeek #RadioGeek #MilMonWorld

[Saint1 @Saint1Mil]

A busy day at RAF Fairford 🇬🇧today with the arrival of three B-52s from Minot AFB 🇺🇸 and various support flights. A link to a 2 min video of the day is here: https://t.co/xQMI8VRfya

[DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 @DefenceGeek]

RAF Fairford - USAF Bombers ORBAT #FreeIran‌
--- Operation EPIC FURY ---

As of a short while ago, (and once the 3 diverted to Ramstein move to the UK), RAF Fairford will have the following US Air Force bomber aircraft available for #OperationEpicFury:

B-1B 85-0064 #AE6BD3 (DY) "Eliminator"
B-1B 85-0088 #AE6BE1 (DY) (No nickname identified)
B-1B 86-0107 #AE6BEF (WA) "Dragon Slayer"
B-1B 86-0140 #AE6C0B (DY) "Last Lance"
B-1B 86-0120 #AE6BFA (EL) "Whiskey Pete"
B-1B 86-0121 #AE6BFB (EL) "Symphony of Destruction"
B-1B 86-0139 #AE6C0A (EL) "Drifter"
B-1B 86-0108 #AE6BF0 (EL) "Aliens with Attitude"
B-52H 60-0023 #AE587C (MT) "Bomber Barons"
B-52H 60-0060 #AE5895 (MT) "Iron Butterfly"
B-52H 60-0007 #AE5871 (MT) "Guardians of the Upper Realm"

TOTAL: 11 bombers
(8x B-1B "Lancer", 3x B-52H "Stratofortress")

File photos via DVIDS site - not recent
@MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @Andyyyyrrrr @TheIntelFrog @MilMonWorld @FaytuksNetwork @Osinttechnical @vcdgf555

[The Aviationist @TheAviationist]

B-52H Bombers Join B-1Bs Deployed to RAF Fairford

Three B-52H Stratofortress bombers deployed to RAF Fairford, joining B-1B Lancers deployed in the previous days and bringing to 11 the number of bombers now in Europe.

Story: https://t.co/3Bjf1YOjFu