delivered but we never processed a sighting of its serial in our
database.
RQ-4N Global Hawk
Serial msn Remarks
166509 N-1 VX-20
166510 N-2 written off (shot down) 19/6/19
168738 VX-20
168739 written off 11/6/12
UV-18A Twin Otter
Serial msn Remarks
79-23255 680 VXS-1 ‘Warlocks’ – recently added to fleet of
unit309th AMARG
Back with some catching up:United States Air Force
B-52H Stratofortress
Serial msn Remarks
60-0034 464399 ex 23rd Bomb Squadron/5th BW; arrived for
storage 14/8/08; returned to operational
14/5/19.
KC-135A Stratotanker
Serial msn Remarks
55-3136 17252 ex 917th Air Refueling Squadron/96th Wing;
arrived for storage 28/4/93; to HVF West,
Tucson, Arizona 14/2/19 as scrap
56-3608 17357 ex 93rd Air Refueling Squadron/398th
Operational Group; to HVF West, Tucson,
Arizona 15/2/19 as scrap
56-3652 17401 ex 906th Air Refueling Squadron/43rd Air
Refueling Wing; to HVF West, Tucson,
Arizona 13/2/19 as scrap
NKC-135R Stratotanker
Serial msn Remarks
55-3120 17236 ex 4950th Test Wing; arrived for storage
15/12/93; to HVF West, Tucson, Arizona
14/2/19 as scrap
KC-135R Stratotanker
Serial msn Remarks
63-8877 18725 ex 22nd Air Refueling Wing; arrived for
storage 7/4/14; off inventory 12/18 – 1/19 –
status?
F-16A Fighting Falcon
Serial msn Remarks
80-0587 61-308 ex 169th Fighter Squadron; FMS Program
Peace Bima-Sena II as instructional airframe
11/12/94; back on inventory 26/12/18
80-0588 61-309 ex 169th Fighter Squadron; FMS Program
Peace Bima-Sena II as instructional airframe
11/12/94; back on inventory 28/12/18
82-0933 61-526 ex 195th Fighter Squadron/162nd Fighter
Wing; arrived for storage 7/3/07; to QF-16
program 3/19F-16B Fighting Falcon
Serial msn Remarks
79-0426/SH 62-58 ex 465th Fighter Squadron/507th Fighter
Group; arrived for storage 1/4/94; departed
8/1/19 to Aircraft Restoration & Marketing,
Tucson, Arizona.
F-16C
Serial msn Remarks
85-1490 5C-270 ex 163rd Fighter Squadron/122nd Fighter
Wing; arrived for storage 6/5/10; off
inventory 2 – 3/19
89-2144 1C-297 ex 421st Fighter Squadron; arrived for
storage 20/7/11; to Floats & Fuel Cells Inc,
Memphis, Tennessee 11/2/1990-0164 5257 4th Special Operations Squadron – named
‘Bad Intensions’ – last noted 1/19
90-0165 5259 4th Special Operations Squadron – last
noted 12/14
90-0166 5261 4th Special Operations Squadron – named
‘Hellraiser’ – last noted 2/19
90-0167 5262 4th Special Operations Squadron – last
noted 7/19
92-0253 5279 ex 4th Special Operations Squadron; 309th
AMARG since 11/9/18
The type is due to be replaced by the AC-130J Ghostrider which is still
in the process or achieving Full Operational Capability. The current
operational short fall will be fulfilled by the AC-130W Stinger II – which
is a MC-130W Combat Spear aircraft utilising a roll-on and roll-off
Precision Strike Package.
CV-22B Osprey
Serial msn Remarks
13-0067 D1048 21st Special Operations Squadron
13-0069 D1050 21st Special Operations Squadron
14-0071 21st Special Operations Squadron
14-0074 21st Special Operations Squadron
14-0075 21st Special Operations Squadron
I have (rightly or wrongly) assumed that these 353rd Special
Operations Group, Detachment 1 machines are now operated by 21st
Special Operations Squadron.
T-38C
Serial msn Remarks
68-8121 T6126 47th Flying Training Wing/87th Flying
Training Squadron – currently wears F-106A
type colour scheme, and noted 7/19
HH-60W CRH (Combat Rescue Helicopter)
Serial Remarks
??-14481 First flight 17/5/19; 413th Flight Test Squadron – first
flight by USAF pilot made 11/7/19 at Duke Field, Eglin
AFB, Florida
The USAF plans on purchasing 113 HH-60W helicopters.
United States Naval Aviation
C-20G Gulfstream IV
Serial msn Remarks
165093 1187 ex VR-51; stored at 309th AMARG since
21/2/18
165094 1189 ex VR-51? – currently operated by VX-30 at
NAS Point Mugu
C-40A Clipper
Serial msn l/n Remarks
166693 34304 1849 ex VR-57; VR-51 – delivered 16/5/19
This is the first of two for the unit.
MQ-4C Triton
The Northrop Grumman Corp. has received an order to upgrade the US
Navy MQ-4C Triton fleet for the Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) mission.
Consequently, this signals the start of replacing the EP-3E Aries II
SIGINT aircraft of VQ-1, based at NAS Whidbey Island.
Full operational capability of the Triton is expected from 2021,
which coincides the planned retirement of the EP-3.
The following is with thanks to ‘Scramble’ and ‘Mach III’:
Serial msn Remarks
168457 SDD-1/B1 VX-20 – last noted 5/17
168458 SSD-2 VX-20 – last noted 6/18
168459 SSD-3 VX-20 – last noted 1/15
168460/PE VUP-19 – last noted 5/18
168461/PE B6 VUP-19 – last noted 6/18
168462 VUP-19 – last noted 7/19
‘168737’ mock-up
As probably known, VX-20 also operates some RQ-4 Global Hawks,
reportedly partly equipped with Triton systems. One of these US Navy
Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (or BAMS-D) UASs was recently shot
down over the Strait of Hurmuz by Iranian air defence, another one
crashed near Point Mugu (CA), while a third one was reported as