Thread by @steffanwatkins

🇮🇶 Let's look at the "layer cake" over #Iraq

( Someone who actually works in ATC will laugh at me, but I don't want to work for ATC 😂 )

Above 35,000ft we have at least 7 airliners, all broadcasting ADS-B, as commercial air traffic does.

We also have one #USAF E-11A BACN 11-9355 #AE4DE1 c/s #BLKWF13 at 36,000ft broadcasting Mode-S; a military plane, in the middle of the civ air traffic.

jetphotos.com/photo/9179107

at 32,000ft we have a C-17 transiting over Iraq
#RCH850 #AE2FA4 08-8192

at 25,000ft we have a KC-135, that's probably the alt where they are refuelling fighters.
#AE064D58-0015

at 24,000ft we have #OpSHADER's Voyageur
#CBOW23 #43C6F5 #ZZ332

NB:
Above 20,000ft is notable because MANPADS have a ceiling of ~20k ft.

Back to the layer cake.

Last night we established loitering KC-135s and refuelling would be happening between 25,000-30,000ft;

#AE064D 58-0015
#AE038D 63-7976
#AE0502 59-1511

We also established that the Weasels operate ~27,000ft, using fake ICAO hexes.

#WEASL72 #000017
#WEASL71 #40FFFF

There are multiple B350-based ISR platforms, some above and some below the 20,000ft MANPADS line I mentioned before.

Everything below 20,000 is operating there knowing they are within range of MANPADS, and many are using bogus ICAO hexes to mask their appearance.

Between 18,000-20,600 there is a Grey Eagle #GRYEGL86, and multiple unidentified aircraft; more drones, or strike aircraft? IDK.

(callsign ICAO)
n/a #000647
#BCA001#BCA001 👈 Who dis?
#C5D002#000C47
#BCA001#BC0000 👈
n/a #5CD00D
n/a #DFF004
n/a #C6E002
n/a #58F002
n/a #D9F006

🇺🇸 RO-6A is active ~17,000-17,600, presumably for optimal sensor range?

16-00397 #AE5F1A #KDIAK99
16-00276 #AE5F19 #KDIAK76