Thread by @steffanwatkins

🇨🇦 #RCAF CC-130J Hercules 130604 #C2B549 has been operating in the Middle East supporting various missions for months, like #OpIMPACT, and today I noticed they seemed to change their interpretation of their SOP while overflying #Iraq 🇮🇶.

📸 2019-07-12
jetphotos.com/photo/9407727

I've published what I put together before; this is an extension of that. 👇

https://twitter.com/steffanwatkins/status/1382444465122607106?s=20

#C2B549 #CANUK46

🇨🇦 #RCAF CC-130J Hercules 130604 did not change their transponder from ADS-B to Mode-S when transiting Iraqi airspace, which is the norm for all RCAF flights over #Iraq, including their own previous flights, presumably for OPSEC reasons. #C2B549

🇨🇦 #RCAF CC-130J Hercules 130604 conducts operations across the Middle East, so we get a good sample of flight data to analyze.

When doing the regional milk-run, they use ADS-B, and that's fine, nobody is going to take shots at them over relatively peaceful countries. #C2B549

From what I understand, using Mode-S is the norm over Iraq because their location (lat/lon) is not included in the data sent over the air, it needs to be triangulated by ground stations with MLAT. ADS-B sends their exact location in the message being transmitted.

#C2B549

I suspect someone forgot to flip a switch in 130604 today, and as a result flew much of their route in a more visible emissions posture than usual. 🤷‍♂️

#C2B549 #CANUK46