December USAF flights - Eastern Ukraine
I'm posting something of interest to those who are following the events relating to Ukraine. As previously reported on this blog, the comings and goings of NATO/U.S. and Swedish military flights, are part of the NATO - Russia landscape, whether it is the Black, Baltic or Barents Seas.
Today an unusual and unprecedented event took place, a first I believe, when an USAF E-8C STARS was seen doing racetracks in Eastern Ukraine. This aircraft is one of many that carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.
The E-8C as described in the USAF fact-sheet is an
Mission
The E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, or Joint STARS, is an airborne battle management, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. Its primary mission is to provide theater ground and air commanders with ground surveillance to support attack operations and targeting that contributes to the delay, disruption and destruction of enemy forces.
16:36 мск.
Работает около линии боевого соприкосновения на Донбассе ⚒. pic.twitter.com/IycdV13v56
- PlaneRadar (@ua4wiy_) December 27, 2021
-Ukranian Air Force Ilyushin IL-76MD 76697
-USAF E-8C Joint STARS REDEYE6
-USAF RC-135V Rivet Joint HOMER19 pic.twitter.com/BhjfOuQFYs
- Manu Gómez (@GDarkconrad) December 27, 2021
Although back on 16 Dec, an E-8C was off the coast of Crimea. Previously, Crimea had been put under the surveillance spotlight by various aircraft, P-8, Rivet-Joint, Global Hawk etc..., (as covered in this article and this one). An E-8C is a rarity in this part of the Black Sea region. The Russian MoD specifically mentioned tracking an E-8C operating in the Black Sea on the 9th November.
USAF Boeing E-8C (reg. 01-2005 - c/s REDEYE8) in flight to Germany after Black Sea mission #Russia #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/Znxg1o5hss
- Itamilradar (@ItaMilRadar) December 16, 2021
Additionally, there was a USAF Rivet Joint on patrol over Eastern Ukraine. Back on the 11th of Dec, an RC-135W Rivet-Joint had entered Ukrainian airspace overland for the first time, to carry out reconnaissance of the Donbass, Crimea and Transnistria regions. Other Rivet-Joints have in the past overflown the Ukraine to go to the Black Sea and return back to base.
Why a first? Well, since 2014, the only aircraft that has frequently operated in Eastern Ukraine is the RQ-4 Global Hawks UAV, (Both U.S. and NATO operated). Although it seems that there aren't any U.S. operated Global Hawks currently in operation from Sigonella, but NATO does operate its own also from Sigonella in Italy. So, the U.S. has changed tack by using crewed aircraft for missions in Ukraine, but not only that, have chosen at this late stage to deploy different kinds of ISR aircraft. It has to be noted that despite the months-long reporting of Russian military build-up in Crimea and Southern Russia, that only now in the last week of December, the U.S. has taken the decision to change the type of ISR operations.
On the previous day, U.S. and French military aircraft flying over the Black Sea were escorted by the Russian airforce, as reported by TASS. This is nothing out of the ordinary as this has been a common occurence for a number of years, and in reality only a couple of air missions, (out of the hundreds that take place) actually get into the public eye and get reported in the press, which distorts the perception of the public.
Interestingly, the changes may be connected to what was expressed by the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, at the end of November, where he asked for more support from NATO, “In the same way, a very strong signal would be the increase of intelligence and reconnaissance flights across the Russian border, in particular in the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea.” Effectively, they gave the nod to ISR crewed flights over Eastern Ukraine.
Fact Sheet on Rivet Joint
Fact Sheet on E-8C STARS
Fact Sheet on Global Hawk