The last open-source info I can find is that USS Connecticut was in Japan in August. Not much to go on for a position. Somewhere in the western Pacific.
Given the timing (October 2nd, Saturday) and location, I am now deeply interested in knowing what that "object" was.
The aircraft is πΈπ² San Marino-registered T7-BGD #50014B. Owned by Bancroft Specialty Logistics. Flight originated out of Basel Mulhouse-Freiberg EuroAirport (BSL/LFSB). Last flight prior to that was on 08/03/21.
While there has been considerable focus on Chinese interests at home & abroad via satellite, I thought I might take a look at some of the other lesser known Chinese (alleged) installations. Great Coco Island, Myanmar is one such location.
However, there is something lacking.
1/
To begin with, the island airfield has remained in a state of incompletion, despite a widening of the original runway. Currently, the runway is ~2600 meters long, but has been this long since at least 2018 with no noticeable evidence of intent to finish.
2/
One need only look at the measure of resolve of the Chinese industrial and military base by viewing bases in Djibouti or the South China Sea for evidence of rapid gains.
By comparison, the airfield has inadequate hangars or housing for any kind of long endurance basing.
I haven't said anything about the #SouthAfrica situation up until now, but there is becoming increasing concern about infrastructure attacks, food shortages, etc.
A key component of the commercial infrastructure is the warehouses, which are getting targeted en masse. Discussions of larger corporations pulling out.
B-4026 is a Boeing 737-76D #7BB0E1, part of Central (PLAAF HQ) Command's 34th Transport Division, 100th Air Regiment out of Beijing.
Back tracing the origin of the flight, FR24 coverage only began as it left Myanmar, but that is not where it came from. Briefly, 2 hours ago, the flight was spotted on ADSBx over Thailand. This is also NOT where it originated from.
So, Wei Fenghe, Defence Minister of China, is in Dhaka today.