Boeing RC-135W Airseeker/Rivet Joint (RAF)

Contains threads on Royal Air Force equipment of the past, present and future.
bobp
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by bobp »

That's nice revealing the capabilities, I hope our cousins across the pond aren't upset.

Dahedd
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by Dahedd »

Caught a snippet on Radio 5 yesterday stating that a 2nd Airseeker/RJ was being deployed to the area to assist in operations vs ISIS.

Given its that "handy/popular" an aircraft would it be worth the UK trying to get a 4th?

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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by WhiteWhale »

Dahedd wrote:Caught a snippet on Radio 5 yesterday stating that a 2nd Airseeker/RJ was being deployed to the area to assist in operations vs ISIS.

Given its that "handy/popular" an aircraft would it be worth the UK trying to get a 4th?
Depends if there are any left in any museums anywhere.

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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by Dahedd »

are they not converted tankers from the Bone Yard ?? Must be a few of them still kicking about.

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SKB
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by SKB »

Heh. The third and final Airseeker (expected in 2017) will carry the registry ZZ666 ! :twisted:
(The first two were ZZ664 and ZZ665)

marktigger
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by marktigger »

just a pity we didin't get the electronics fitted to the A330 not a 50 year old Museum piece!


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GibMariner
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by GibMariner »

The Armchair Soldier wrote:RAF looking to expand Rivet Joint and Shadow fleets?

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The Armchair Soldier
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by The Armchair Soldier »

GibMariner wrote:
The Armchair Soldier wrote:RAF looking to expand Rivet Joint and Shadow fleets?
Thanks for the correction!

marktigger
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by marktigger »

GibMariner wrote:
The Armchair Soldier wrote:RAF looking to expand Rivet Joint and Shadow fleets?

Airseeker's are hardly "new" aircraft

bobp
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by bobp »

Surprised that the Runway isn't long enough for a full fuel load take off.

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Gabriele
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by Gabriele »

Oh, joy. That is not a problem at all, with Voyager and its drogues... wait.

Can see why they don't like that. And they will like it even less when the US tankers leave the UK soil in the near future.
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by Aethulwulf »

The full article (behind the paywall) speculates that the USAF might chose to base their RC-135s at RAF Fairford and, if so, the UK might move their RC-135s to Fairford as well.

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shark bait
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by shark bait »

This all sounds very bizarre, when I was at Waddington there was no mention of it being too short, but admittedly that was back in the Nimrod days.

Mildenhall is about the same size as Waddington so how come its all of a sudden a problem? Further more why would you close one base just to open another? Also surely its cheaper to extend a runway then activate a whole new base?
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by Defiance »

It'd be interesting to know why this sort of activity wasn't undertaken (if it was judged important enough) during the runway refurb work, the base was shut down and a/c operated from elsewhere I think.

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ArmChairCivvy
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by ArmChairCivvy »

shark bait wrote:Further more why would you close one base just to open another? Also surely its cheaper to extend a runway then activate a whole new base?
I can speculate:
1. Salford has two aircon hangars for the very delicate B2s; I can imagine that the use of them would be beneficial when the v sensitive - and when in use , sealed - electronics need to be opened up for maintenance
2. When you take off, seen from a certain angle and from a great distance the huge air traffic, including holding patterns over the SE acts as chaff against radars

Now, if I were the RAF, I would start to track all new house purchases within binocular range of the runways...
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SKB
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by SKB »

ZZ666! :twisted:

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Gabriele
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by Gabriele »

If it doesn't get the callsign "Beast" on a regular basis, something is very wrong with you people. :D
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by RetroSicotte »

That one took me a second to spot, Gabe. Very good!

Also nice to see, for some reason I had it in my head it wasn't turning up till 2018.

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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by Gabriele »

September 2017 had been the last i heard. Which might still be accurate if it refers to it being fully absorbed into operational cycle and all that... otherwise, it arrived earlier than expected, which is never a bad thing.
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abc123
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Re: RC-135W Airseeker (ex 'Rivet Joint') (RAF)

Post by abc123 »

Gabriele wrote:If it doesn't get the callsign "Beast" on a regular basis, something is very wrong with you people. :D

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indeid
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Re: Boeing RC-135W Airseeker (RAF)

Post by indeid »

Gabriele wrote:If it doesn't get the callsign "Beast" on a regular basis, something is very wrong with you people. :D
And now formally delivered.

http://www.janes.com/article/74493/uk-r ... -airseeker

Might be the Beast, but Damien is the traditional nickname for the 666 plates, as 51 Sqn are well aware.......

Let's hope this has more luck than XW666.

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Ianmb17
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Re: Boeing RC-135W Airseeker (RAF)

Post by Ianmb17 »

Google maps picture
Couple rivet joint,sentinel and shadow
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Ianmb17
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Re: Boeing RC-135W Airseeker (RAF)

Post by Ianmb17 »

Updated even before US fleet



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