Here is the latest round of Mode-S/ADS-B Military/Government intercepts logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC and sorted in date/time order.
AE040E 162783 --- 2017-07-12 23:30:11 E-6B United States USN | SCW-1 [KTIK] 7002 27000
AE4EC9 168764 LANCR27 2017-07-12 22:40:03 P-8A United States USN | VP-10 [KNIP] --- 35000
AE4EBA 168436 TIGER28 2017-07-12 22:12:07 P-8A United States USN | VP-5 [KNIP] --- 32000
800E1E KC-3807 LAC5812 2017-07-12 21:28:08 C-130J-30 India ---
AE57C6 169001 VVLL811 2017-07-12 20:52:11 P-8A United States USN | VP-30 [KNIP] --- 22775
AE11D3 71-1408 SNTRY61 2017-07-12 20:32:08 E-3C United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]
AE06E4 163836 ??? --- 2017-07-12 19:36:09 UC-12F United States USNAVY 2554 21275
AE5F07 02 C202 2017-07-12 19:20:10 C-37A United States USCG 2560 47000
A04ECF N119NA --- 2017-07-12 18:36:09 757-223 United States US DOJ
AE57C0 168860 PELCN88 2017-07-12 18:28:11 P-8A United States USN | VP-45 [KNIP] --- 20925
AE1155 165995 --- 2017-07-12 18:08:09 T-6A United States USN | TW-6 [KNPA]
AE04AD 99-0104 --- 2017-07-12 17:54:37 UC-35a1 United States USARC | A/2-228 AVN (TA) [KWRI ]
0D07D5 ANX-1207 ANX1201 2017-07-12 17:22:27 Gulfstream VSP Mexico Mexican Navy 5603 47000
AE065D 60-0320 --- 2017-07-12 17:00:14 KC-135R United States USAF | 6AMW | 927ARW [KMCF]
AE07E5 95-0102 MOOSE21 2017-07-12 16:16:16 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS] --- 27500
AE20C6 07-7185 MOOSE22 2017-07-12 16:16:16 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS] --- 27500
AE07D6 92-3292 MOOSE23 2017-07-12 16:14:44 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS] --- 26925
AE065D 60-0320 BOLT31 2017-07-12 16:12:15 KC-135R United States USAF | 6AMW | 927ARW [KMCF]
ADFC79 91-0085 --- 2017-07-12 16:10:17 T-1A Jayhawk United States USAF | 479FTG | 451FTS [KNPA]
AE57CC 169007 --- 2017-07-12 15:40:10 P-8A United States USN | VP-8 [KNIP] --- 35000
ADFEDD 86-0087 PAT0087 2017-07-12 15:38:45 C-12U United States PA ARNG | OSACOM DET-22 [KMUI]
222222 Various --- 2017-07-12 15:18:32 Various Various Various
800E1F KC-3808 --- 2017-07-12 14:24:13 C-130J-30 India ---
800E1F KC-3808 LAC5814 2017-07-12 13:59:12 C-130J-30 India ---
AE57CC 169007 00000000 2017-07-12 13:06:52 P-8A United States USN | VP-8 [KNIP] --- 35000
AE04AC 99-0103 --- 2017-07-12 12:32:19 UC-35a1 United States USARC | B/2-228 AVN (TA) [KMGE]
AE4EB1 167956 --- 2017-07-12 01:34:12 P-8A United States USN | VX-1 [KNHK] --- 27000
AE0409 165737 OTIS49 2017-07-12 00:48:20 KC-130J United States USMC | VMGR-252 [KNKT]
AE596D 13-5782 KING21 2017-07-12 00:40:13 HC-130J United States USAF | 23 Wing | 71RQS [KVAD]
AE4EB1 167956 0000 2017-07-12 00:32:14 P-8A United States USN | VX-1 [KNHK] --- 27000
You can monitor online the U.S. RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft used to track ballistic missiles reentry vehicles and warheads during the final phase of flight.
Early
in the morning on Jul 4, North Korea successfully tested an intercontinental
ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time.
The
ICBM, referred to as Hwasong-14, reached a height of 2,802 kilometers, according
to the state-run Korea Central Television (KCTV). The missile was launched from
Panghyon, in North Pyongan province, and flew into waters east of the Korean
Peninsula after traveling for about 930 kilometers.
The
latest missile launch, as well as the previous ones, was almost certainly
monitored by the U.S. Forces deployed to the region, using a variety of aerial,
ground-based, sea-going assets.
The
U.S. Air Force relies on its small contingent of RC-135S Cobra Ball missile tracking
aircraft. Based at Offutt Air Force Base, outside Omaha, Nebraska, and flown by
the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, these intelligence gathering aircraft are
often deployed where needed to track ballistic missiles reentry vehicles and
warheads during the final phase of flight. The aircraft is equipped with a
powerful radar array on the starboard side of the fuselage, just aft of the
cockpit. Several optical quality windows are mounted on the starboard side as
well, allowing infrared and visible spectrum cameras to record the warheads
during their final moments of flight. A distinctive feature of the Cobra Ball is
the black low-glare paint used on the starboard wing, to improve image quality
and prevent glare during photography.
Unsurprisingly,
two Cobra Ball aircraft (61-2662 and 61-2663) are currently deployed to Yokota
Air Base, Japan, from where it is launched when there are signs of an imminent
North Korean test. What is far more surprising is the fact that, in spite of
their important role, RC-135S aircraft are among the military planes that can be
tracked online by exploiting the signals broadcast by their Mode S/ADS-B transponders.
By
observing the activities of the RC-135S in Japan you may have a pretty clear
idea of what is happening or about to happen in North Korea. For instance, last
night, the fact that the Cobra Ball was airborne from Yokota might suggest that
the U.S. intelligence had detected activities at the launch site and was
preparing to monitor the test. This is the reason why I tweeted the following
(later confirmed by the news of the ICBM test):
And
that was not the first time. Just a coincidence? Most probably not, considered
that the Cobra Ball does not fly that much and almost all sorties tracked online
in Japan coincided with North Korea’s tests.
Here
are some examples:
On
Apr. 15, North Korea test-fired an unidentified land-based missile from the
naval base in Sinpo. An RC-135S was flying over Japan:
On
May 13, North Korea test-fired an intermediate range ballistic missile, from a
test site on the country’s West Coast. That launch reached a then-record
altitude of around 2,100 kilometers (1,300 miles) and a Cobra Ball was airborne
to watch and collect data:
On
Jun. 20, a Cobra Ball and WC-135 Constant Phoenix “nuclear
sniffer” flew over Japan. It was later unveiled that the spy satellites had
detected new activity at the North Korean nuclear test site.
So,
if you want to know when Kim Jong Un is preparing for a new test, you may try to
look for a Cobra Ball or Constant Phoenix airborne over Japan on ADSBexchange or
simply follow some of the Twitter accounts who constantly track such aircraft,
such as our friend @CivMilAir who provided us with most of the updates on the
RC-135 and WC-135 flights in the
area.
