RAF Fairford BTF - May/June 2024

[Tommy]

Take this with as much or as little salt as you would like, but now would be about the right time for another Bomber Task Force (“BTF”).

Our pals over on Fighter Control do a much better job of tracking this stuff, so I’m happy to direct attention to that forum for more info.

[Dom.]

WTF is RUMINT?

[Amp]

Rumour intelligence. It seems to be a Twitter thing.

[StandardTom]

WTF is RUMINT?

Add it to the list of ridiculous terms that people use.

[Dom.]

“Rumour intelligence” smdh IT DOESN’T EVEN MAKE SENSE

Makes me twitch uncontrollably

[Peregrine]

There's certainly nothing intelligent about some of the rumours I've heard people say about 'possible Fairford Deployments' ...

But it makes sense that we'd be due one soon, it's been a little while.

[Gregson]

There's certainly nothing intelligent about some of the rumours I've heard people say about 'possible Fairford Deployments' ...

But it makes sense that we'd be due one soon, it's been a little while.


Not sure there is much "intelligence" in the rumours, copied from fighter control:



The USAF would say that they've already exercised Fairford once this year from their Fiscal Year 2024 budget. Their Fiscal Year runs from the 1st of October 2023 to the 30th of September 2024 so the Dyess B-1's that were deployed to Fairford in October and November '23 were the 1st deployment of FY'24.That's why it was designated as Bomber Task Force 24 -1.
I think the 4 deployments probably means to Europe rather than specifically Fairford as the base has only twice hosted such a number - in 1988 and 2017. Now that several more bases have become available to the bomber force it seems that their gain will be Fairford's loss.

[cg_341]

WTF is RUMINT?

Add it to the list of ridiculous terms that people use.

Petition to introduce the term NOBINT to describe people who come up with silly terms to legitimise their guesswork.

[Brevet Cable]

RUMINT has been in use since at least the very early 2000s ( possibly earlier ) so pre-dates Twitter by a good few years.
The term has been used by the American Military as well as ours.....it was definitely used in American briefings in the lead-up to 'Op. Iraqi Freedom / Telic' in 2003.
No different to the likes of ELINT, SIGINT and HUMINT, really.

As for the rumoured deployment....well there was a BTF in June last year, so it's as good a rumour as any.

[Peregrine]

CAAWEBSITEINT has an Article 250 permit for Atlas Air 767s from Minot AFB to Fairford arriving on Thursday, 16th of May.

Source (and registrations of aircraft):
https://www.caa.co.uk/commercial-indust ... s-issued/

[Brevet Cable]

If anyone's interested, looking at Minot AFB on FR24, Atlas Air B767, N662GT, C/S GTI8884 / 5Y8884 ( showing as both ) is due to depart in about 2 hours - 16:35 Local - with an arrival at Fairford around 06:15 ( presume also Local, as shows the same ETA on the Fairford 'pin' )
Nothing else showing as due out or in.

Edited @ 20:55hrs to add....
Sod's Law!
Just rechecked Minot, it's now showing Atlas B747, N416MC, C/S GTI9876 / 5Y9876 due in there at around 16:10 Local. No ETD listed yet.

[Brevet Cable]

Both Atlas flights showing as delayed....
The B767 is currently about 2/3rds across the Atlantic, with a new ETA of around 07:00hrs
The B747 has only recently departed Minot, with an ETA of around 13:00hrs.

And just like here in sunny Wales, Fairford Met. has been showing visibility of less than a Mile ( fog )

[Brevet Cable]

GTI8884 inbound, Rwy 09

[Brevet Cable]

Or not.....
Tried 09, went into a hold to the West, now looking at trying from the Rwy 27 end.
Still foggy there, by the sounds of it.

As for the B747, currently crossing northern Quebec, C/S GTI8876

[Tommy]

^ good Twitter account from a local who, bizarrely, isn’t sick of Fairford movements (good on them!). I’m v.jealous of their location!

[CWS]

Going to keep an eye out for this deployment, good to have the BUFF's back

[Brevet Cable]

B747 on approach, Rwy 27

[Brevet Cable]

Both of today's arrivals departed earlier.

Atlas B747 - N486MC - recently landed at Minot, showing as being due to depart as GTI8878 at 19:05hrs with an ETA at Fairford of 08:30hrs tomorrow.
Presumably that's what the 08:00-14:00hrs NOTAM is for.

[Brevet Cable]

Delayed departure, now due in at around 09:00hrs

[Tommy]

DSTM, etc.

(With thanks again to Peregrine for flagging)

[Tommy]

First one in, 60-0037.

Tragic lack of marks/colour

[Tommy]

Number two, reported on FC as 61-0018

[aviodromefriend]

Rumours that four more will come during the week: https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/new ... um=twitter

[Tommy]

[iainpeden]

Sitting at Gloucester services on the m5 currently and anything due at Fairford today will need floats.