wang
(Wang)
#1
Articles
Trips
Shows
News
Movements
Scramble 468
noted flying in Europe and Japan. The first RO-6As showed
a normal US Army dark grey livery, whereas recent sight-
ings show different colours. A disguised white DHC-8, with
blue and red stripe and N-number N8200L, was noted at the
beginning of March 2018 while it was transiting Souda on the
isle of Crete. The aircraft was noted operating above Libya
a couple of times. Also, during March and April, a heavily
modified all-white DHC-8-315, with N-number N599XQ, was
noted a couple of times at Yokota Air Base in Japan. DHC-8-
200 with red and blue stripes and N-number N8200R arrived
as “Grizzly46” at RAF Mildenhall on 6 April 2018.
Although not having any visible US DOD marks, the DHC-8s
are mainly registered to Dynamic Avlease Inc, Bridgewa-
ter (VA) and believed to be operating for the United States
Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Nowadays,
USSOCOM uses an extensive variation of aircraft, including
the DHC-8, for the SOCOM Tactical Airborne Multi-sensor
Platform (STAMP) project.
United States Air Force (AF)
A USAF squadron with an unusual designation was reactivated
at Nellis AFB (NV) recently. Just before the exercise Red Flag
18-2 started, the 24th Tactical Air Support Squadron was
officially revealed at Nellis on 2 March 2018. Flying out of
Panama and operating OA-37B Dragonflies, the 24th TASS
was disbanded during 1991. The 24th became a full-fledged
squadron within the USAF and is the only squadron that is
using the TASS designation. Conveniently for the 24th, more
former Hill-based F-16s became available during the recent
period. With the 57th Wing being the parent unit, the 24th
TASS is an F-16 squadron, whose primary function is training,
supporting and performing Close Air Support (CAS).
Recently, two USAF squadrons, the 13th Fighter Squadron
and the 44th Fighter Squadron, both based in Japan,
participated in different exercises. The exercises, sponsored
by USAF’s Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), were held in Indonesia
and Thailand.
The 13th Fighter Squadron Panthers, normally based at
Misawa Air Base and resorting under the 35th Fighter Wing
flew with six F-16s to participate in exercise Cope West 2018.
The exercise was held from 12 to 23 March 2018 at Sam
Ratulangi International Airport, near Manado, Indonesia.
Besides the USAF, the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) also
operated with six F-16Cs from SkU16 during this bilateral
exercise. The following WW-coded F-16s from the 13th FS
were noted: F-16Cs 91-0363, 92-3893, 92-3912, 92-3913 (as
13FS), 94-0038 and F-16D 91-0477.
The 44th Fighter Squadron Vampire Bats, normally based at
Kadena Air Base and resorting under the 18th Wing, flew
with six F-15Cs to participate in exercise Cope Tiger 2018.
The multinational exercise was held from 12 to 23 March
2018 at Korat Air Base in Thailand. Besides the USAF, also
participating were the Thai hosts with Royal Thai Air Force
JAS-39s, F-5s, F-16s and Alpha-Jets and the Royal Singapore
Air Force with their F-15s and F-16s. The following ZZ-coded
F-15Cs were noted at Korat: 81-0042, 83-0013, 85-0107, 85-0114
as 44FS and 85-0124 plus one.
After a week-long grounding, the single seat F-15C and dual
seat F-15D Eagles from the 114th Fighter Squadron/ 173rd
Fighter Wing Oregon Air National Guard commenced flying
on 29 March 2018. It was stated that thirty Eagles were
grounded on 22 March, after a maintenance records review
raised questions about whether one Eagle had been properly
repaired five years ago. The F-15 in question had a minor
crack in a non-structural bracket, but its longeron, a twelve-
foot aluminum beam that ties the F-15’s front and rear
fuselage together, appeared to be structurally alright and
the 173rd FW resumed flying status. Being the largest USAF
F-15 squadron, the Oregon Air National Guard’s 114th FS is
subordinated to USAF’s Air Education and Training Command
(AETC). Primarily tasked with training, the squadron is based
at Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base near Klamath Falls
(OR).
B-1B Lancers of the 34th and 37th Bomb Squadron from
Ellsworth AFB (SD) arrived at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar at the
end of March 2018. Following two years supporting US Pacific
Command’s requirements, mainly deployed to Andersen AFB
on the Pacific island of Guam, the B-1Bs returned to the US
Central Command’s Aera of Operations where they took over
the bomber duty from the venerable B-52H Stratofortress.
The B-1Bs were having a part in the campaign against Syria
on 14 April.
The B-52Hs departed Al Udeid at beginning of April, following
two years in which they played an instrumental and vital role
in the fight against ISIS and the Taliban, counting more than
1,800 sorties and approximately 12,000 weapons releases
against targets in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. On 11 April
Seen here is 4586 TH-67A of Escuadron de Vuelo. All Air Force pilots train on the Bell 206 whereas all pilots from all other branches train on the
TH-67A. The colours obviously give away their origin, these are former US Army Creeks from Fort Rucker. (Melgar, 2 April 2018, Ian French)
