Russians step up the 'probing' flights

[Pontius Navigator]

Not in my time.

Yes, F4s up north.

[FD2]

I meant on the wider world stage as well Boac, but I take your point about the today's probing flights. The Bear was a brilliant aircraft for its time. Refurbished and with new equipment it would still be. You don't need supersonic aircraft for MR - just achingly long endurance!

I remember laying in bed one winter's night in Aberdeenshire about 1980 and listening to a Shackleton returning to Kinloss, into a strong northerly headwind. I was listening to it for long time...

[Boac]

PN "Yes, F4s up north." - having trouble with that post too? What does it mean?

FD2 - probably apochryphal, but the story goes - a NImrod got airborne and had a jammed up gear leg. The pilot called OPS and said "I have 22 hours endurance. Please convene the board of enquiry and I will action their initial finding"

[TheGreenGoblin]

I remember laying in bed one winter's night in Aberdeenshire about 1980 and listening to a Shackleton returning to Kinloss, into a strong northerly headwind. I was listening to it for long time...

Often heard by me in another hemisphere and on another continent. Once heard, never forgotten.

[Pontius Navigator]

Funny how some sounds are quite unmistakable. Even heard a Hunter last month, looked up, unmistakable rear view too. The aircraft BOAC, not a horse.

[Boac]

PN "Yes, F4s up north." - having trouble with that post too? What does it mean?

Roger the horse (if you will)

[Boac]

Maritime activity levels are certainly raised

"U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors and Royal Canadian Air Force F-18s, supported by KC-135 Stratotanker and E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft, intercepted two Russian Tu-142 near Alaska."

[Boac]

https://www.airlive.net/breaking-raf-ty ... ion-alert/

The squadrons must be working hard at the moment to 'person' the QRA.

[Boac]

Does anyone know if there is a Russian equivalent of a 'Rum, bum and baccy' exercise in the NA at present? There's an awful lot of activity.

[tango15]

I am still reeling (pardon the pun) at the thought that the Tu-142 can release a 5 mile long antenna:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... d-51789577

[k3k3]

It's a VLF antenna for submarine comms.

Does anybody know what the long antennae on the upper fuselage are?

[Boac]

Not sure which pic/antennae you are referring to, k3? I assume probably Satcom and that sort of stuff?

We used to believe that the long aerial was for catching Lightnings, but maybe we were too gullible.....

Good to see that in pic 4 of tango15's link the Ruskies are clearly primping their wheels.

[Boac]

Interesting to see the Blackjacks appearing - I wonder what the endurance is when 'topped up'.

[k3k3]

Not sure which pic/antennae you are referring to, k3? I assume probably Satcom and that sort of stuff?

On the second picture where you can see the upper surfaces there is an antenna offset to the left of the fuselage centre line, near the port wing root, looks about 10 feet long, and there is another similar to the right of the centre line in line with the starboard undercarriage pod. I think the circular feature aft of this is the satcom antenna.

[Boac]

Yes - no idea. We need a modern comms expert here. How about VLF?

Does this help?

"The Tu-142M anti-submarine aircraft is equipped with DRDO HOMI airborne electronic support measures system to identify, locate and detect enemy targets. It incorporates Korshun-K integrated automatic search and targeting system and MMS-106 Ladoga magnetometer to detect nuclear-powered submarines.

The aircraft is also fitted with a Strela onboard communication system, a NPK-142M navigation system, a Sayany onboard defence system and a Nerchinsk hydrological defence system."

[k3k3]

I suppose it could be some sort of ESM, the fact that they are offset laterally and fore and aft would enable you to get a bearing on an emitter.

[Pontius Navigator]

I suppose it could be some sort of ESM, the fact that they are offset laterally and fore and aft would enable you to get a bearing on an emitter.

Nimrod, with its pod on top of the tail fin could get accurate bearing information. If those aerials are part of the same system it might be something to do with airframe blanking or even prop blanking if this possible.

[k3k3]

The ancient ESM antenna in the pod on the tail was a weird octagonal thing with three apertures on each face, I think it used to rotate to get a fine bearing.

[ricardian]

The Deadliest Aircraft in the U.S. Military's Arsenal You Have Never Heard Of

To use its Very Low Frequency radios, an E-6 has to fly in a continuous orbit at a high altitude, with its fuselage- and tail-mounted VLF radios trailing one- and five-mile-long wire antennas at a near-vertical attitude!

[ricardian]

The ancient ESM antenna in the pod on the tail was a weird octagonal thing with three apertures on each face, I think it used to rotate to get a fine bearing.

Sounds like what we used to call a goniometer